Former Stillwater school secretary accused of stealing $90K from staff fund
File photo of Stillwater Middle School.
STILLWATER, Minn. (FOX 9) - A former Stillwater Middle School employee is facing a dozen felony charges for allegedly taking more than $90,000 from a school staff fund over several years.
Money stolen from school fund
The backstory:
School officials said 40-year-old Danielle Heller was employed by Stillwater Area Public Schools from August 2010 through December 2024. During that time, she worked as a secretary at the middle school, in addition to serving as a coach and adviser for extracurricular activities.
According to the criminal complaint, Heller is accused of taking $90,613.50 from the middle school's Sunshine Fund between 2017 and 2024. The fund, which Heller allegedly oversaw starting in 2013, was meant to be used for staff-related expenses and celebrations.
Court records claim Heller used the funds to pay her personal bills, including Verizon, Comcast and Xcel Energy and several Amazon and restaurant purchases.
What they're saying:
According to the complaint, Heller told investigators she was experiencing financial difficulties and initially intended to borrow the money, planning to repay it with money she expected to receive from a lawsuit.
Heller allegedly admitted depositing other school funds into the Sunshine Fund to give herself access to the money. She told investigators she did not keep track of how much she had taken but estimated it was between $20,000 and $30,000, according to the complaint.
What's next:
Heller is facing 12 felony counts of theft and is scheduled to make her first court appearance in October.
Stillwater School District response
The other side:
The Stillwater Area Public Schools released a statement on Tuesday about the situation.
"In late 2024, Stillwater Area Public Schools became aware of serious concerns regarding the potential mishandling of funds by a district employee. The district immediately initiated an investigation and referred the matter to local law enforcement. The employee who was the subject of those concerns is no longer employed by the district.
"Following a law enforcement investigation, the former employee has now been charged in connection with the matter. Because this is an active legal proceeding, the district will not comment on the allegations or pending case.
"Stillwater Area Public Schools takes financial integrity seriously. The district has cooperated fully with law enforcement throughout the investigation and remains committed to accountability and maintaining the trust of our students, families, staff and community."
The Source: This story uses information from Stillwater school district officials and statements, in addition to a criminal complaint.