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Former Dover charter school principal sentenced for embezzlement

Kim Love/Flickr.com/https://flic.kr/p/ak5Jjw

Former Dover charter school Principal Noel Rodriguez was sentenced to 13 months in prison Friday after pleading guilty to federal program theft.

Between 2011 and 2014, Rodriguez embezzled more than $145,000 from the Academy of Dover Charter School while he was serving as its principal.

Rodriguez used a charter school-issued credit card and four other unauthorized credit cards he opened in the school’s name to make personal purchases. He also abused a school voucher program.

He bought camping equipment, electronics and paid for travel expenses using the public funds.

Rodriguez must pay back the entire sum in restitution as part of his sentencing.

In a statement, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware David C. Weiss said Rodriguez betrayed public trust and the sentencing should serve as a warning to others contemplating misappropriating public funds.

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