DOVER, Del. — A former charter school principal is facing federal time after being caught siphoning taxpayer-backed funds meant for students. Noel Rodriguez, 55, formerly of Dover, Del., was indicted on four counts of federal program theft, each carrying a maximum sentence of ten years in prison and three years of supervised release, along with fines and restitution.
The charges stem from his tenure as Principal of the Academy of Dover Charter School between 2011 and 2014. According to the indictment, Rodriguez embezzled at least $5,000 per year from school funds during each of those years. The stolen money came from resources tied to federal education grants, making the crime a federal offense.
The Academy of Dover Charter School received more than $10,000 annually in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Education during the years in question. That funding, meant to support educational programs and student services, was compromised by Rodriguez’s alleged theft — money that could have gone toward teachers, supplies, or infrastructure instead vanished into personal pockets.
The investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of the Inspector General, and the Delaware Attorney General’s Office. Critical support was provided by the Delaware Office of the Auditor of Accounts, whose forensic review helped uncover the financial discrepancies that triggered the probe.
Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth L. Van Pelt is prosecuting the case. Federal prosecutors stress that the charges are the result of a thorough, multi-agency effort to protect federal funds from misuse — especially in institutions serving vulnerable communities.
Indictments are only charges and are not evidence of guilt. Noel Rodriguez is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. If convicted, however, he faces up to 40 years in prison across the four counts of federal program theft.
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Key Facts
- State: Delaware
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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