Teacher who stole $300K from district and used it for plastic surgery found guilty

A former teacher accused of stealing more than $300,000 from a Southern Illinois school district and using the money for plastic surgery and a boat has pleaded guilty to felony theft.

Sabrina Wheatley, 56, was charged in 2016 with theft of more than $100,000 from a school, official misconduct and seven counts of income tax fraud. She was arrested in Florida.

She had worked for the Webber Township School District in Bluford. She was found guilty of all charges, according to WSIL television, and could face up to 30 years in prison.

She spent the money on plastic surgery and a boat, prosecutors told a jury during her trial. The jury convicted her this week. Sentencing is tentatively set for Aug. 20.

Wheatley was in charge of the small district’s accounts, the Courier & Press earlier reported. No data about the Webber Township School District was available on the Illinois State Board of Education website on Thursday morning; the Webber High School in Bluford reported on its website that it has 121 students.

This story was originally published July 26, 2018 at 9:52 AM.