Woman employed at Fontana Unified School District for 35 years is arrested and charged with embezzlement and grand theft

Fontana Herald News

February 1, 2011

Published: Saturday, January 22, 2011 4:46 PM CST A woman who had been the coordinator of print and mail services for the Fontana Unified School District was arrested and charged with embezzlement and grand theft, according to the Fontana School Police Department. Sandra Cornejo was booked into West Valley Detention Center for her alleged involvement in the criminal activity, police said. In mid-December, the FUSD administration became aware of possible mishandling of property purchased from a vendor outside the district. An investigation determined that nine Apple ipad computers, valued in excess of $9,000, had allegedly been inappropriately ordered and obtained by Cornejo. When the School Police Department tried to initially interview Cornejo, she eluded contact and could not be located for several weeks.

During that time, she mailed in a letter of resignation to the district, ending her 35-year career. On Jan. 19, Cornejo was located by the School Police Department during a surveillance operation. She was arrested for her alleged involvement in the theft of the ipads. Additional information was obtained and led to the recovery of three of the nine ipads. Officers are still working leads to recover the remaining missing items. On Jan. 21, the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office filed charges against Cornejo, and other individuals may also be charged in the case, pending the conclusion of the investigation and review by the DA. This was the second time this month that a FUSD employee had been arrested and charged with embezzlement.

The former director of maintenance and operations with the district, Shawn Kingsley, was charged with stealing more than $8,000 over a period of three years. FUSD Superintendent Cali Olsen- Binks has directed her executive staff to continuously look for any improprieties by any employee. ”During the last few months, some criminal issues as well as employee misconduct have been identified with the district,” Olsen- Binks said. “We have dealt with those individual employees swiftly and in the best interest of the community and the students of the FUSD. Our commitment is to the children of this community, and any inappropriate actions or criminal wrongdoing by any member of our staff will not be tolerated.”