Leticia Arreola, 39, of Los Fresnos, has been sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for stealing more than $300,000 in cafeteria funds from the Brownsville Independent School District (BISD).
Arreola, an accounting clerk in the Food and Nutrition Services Division of BISD, pleaded guilty to embezzling cash proceeds from concessions sales at four schools for nearly six years. U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera ordered Arreola to pay $332,571.41 in restitution and serve three years of supervised release following her prison term.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Arreola used her position to embezzle approximately $332,571.46 from 2010 to 2016. The embezzled money represented cash proceeds from concessions sales at Faulk Elementary, Brownsville Early College High School (BECHS), Brownsville Learning Academy (BLA), and the Brownsville Academic Center (BAC).
BISD utilizes substantial federal funding each year to provide cafeteria lunches for its students, exceeding $10,000 yearly. In addition to providing cafeteria lunches, BISD also receives cash payments from students for concession-style food, such as ice cream and cookies. Schools that perform concession services are required to send their cash proceeds to the BISD-affiliated bank for proper accounting and deposit.
However, Arreola would often take the money for herself when schools missed their scheduled deposit times. She would arrange for cash deposits from Faulk, BECHS, BLA, and the BAC to be delivered directly to her, then take the money out of the deposit bags and place it in her purse. A review of Arreola’s bank records from 2010 to 2016 revealed the extent of the embezzling scheme, with Arreola spending the proceeds on living expenses, vacations, entertainment, and shopping.
The BISD Police Department and the FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Cameron County District Attorney’s Office and cooperation from BISD. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jody Young and Israel Cano III prosecuted the case. Arreola was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrendered to the U.S. Marshals Service on November 10, 2016.
In handing down the sentence, Judge Olvera noted that Arreola abused a position of public trust in embezzling school funds. He denied Arreola’s request for a reduced sentence, stating that public corruption is a matter of great concern and that her sentence needed to reflect that concern. Arreola’s sentence serves as a reminder of the consequences of public corruption and the importance of accountability in public institutions.
Related Federal Cases
- St. Louis Inspector Ripped Off $1.6M · Texas
- Sulfuric Giants to Cut Pollution by 3,000 Tons! · Alabama
- Oklahoma Co. Hit with $3.3M Fine for Jet Fuel Spill in Texas · Oklahoma
- Chem Firms to Spend $12M on Air Pollution Controls · Oklahoma
- James Sues Trump Admin Over $1B Mental Health Funding Cut · New York
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
