A former East High School teacher has been sentenced to five years probation after pleading guilty to second degree theft for stealing from the school’s Special Olympics and Friendship Connection group accounts that she had set up.
49-year-old Melissa Dickerson was accused of stealing the money from the summer of 2016 through June of 2017 and using the money to pay her own bills.
Court documents state Dickerson was a special education teacher in 2013 at East when she opened the accounts in violation of Sioux City Community School District policy.
A bank official informed the school district that one of the accounts was overdrawn because of a MidAmerican Energy bill in Dickerson’s name.
Judge Steven Andreasen suspended Dickerson’s five year prison sentence due to a lack of a previous criminal record.
Dickerson will have to pay over $5000 restitution to the Sioux City Community School District and must also complete 100 hours of community service.
Photo courtesy KMEG
