State employee charged with theft

FORT WAYNE -- A former high school employee has been charged with stealing almost $34,000 from school accounts in 2002 and 2003.\nAmy E. Poffenberger, 45, was Elmhurst High School's extracurricular treasurer. After she resigned in August 2003, Fort Wayne Community Schools officials noticed some discrepancies and turned their investigation over to the Indiana State Board of Accounts.\nShe was charged with theft Wednesday.\nAccording to a probable cause affidavit, a state audit found at least $19,000 missing from the Elmhurst accounts. Investigators subpoenaed Poffenberger's personal banking records in January 2004, and a subsequent audit put the total missing at $33,933, court documents said.\nIn August, the Board of Accounts asked Poffenberger to repay the money and later turned its findings over to the Allen County prosecutor's office. When investigators showed her the final audit report, she admitted to taking the money and apologized, court records said.\nNo telephone listing was available for Poffenberger in Fort Wayne.\nShe and her now ex-husband, Richard Poffenberger, filed for bankruptcy in October 2003 and had a reported debt of $124,453, the court documents said.\nAnother Fort Wayne school employee was asked to return missing money to the district in September. A state audit found $10,212 missing from yearbook accounts, although the adviser denied taking any money.