Ex-Princeton Schools Employee Charged With Stealing Over $95K In Property: Prosecutor

PRINCETON, NJ – A former employee of Princeton Public Schools was charged with theft and other offenses for stealing and selling more than $95,000 of school district property for personal gain, Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri and Police Chief Christopher Morgan said Thursday.

April Taylor, 58, of Philadelphia, PA, was charged with two counts of second-degree official misconduct, second-degree pattern of official misconduct, second-degree theft by deception, second-degree theft by unlawful taking, second-degree impersonation and second degree and third-degree financial facilitation of criminal activity.

Taylor was employed by Princeton Public Schools from 2000 to 2021, and was most recently a purchasing agent.

In July 2021 Princeton Public Schools business administrator became aware that Taylor had purchased a MacBook computer using a forged purchase order and sold it on eBay, Onofri said.

After several months of investigation, the Princeton Board of Education commissioned a forensic audit to review the case. More: Auditors Reviewing Misappropriation Of Funds At Princeton Schools

Taylor was suspended from the school district in July 2021 and resigned her position a few months later.

According to the 44-page audit report, Taylor used her position as a purchasing agent to create fraudulent purchase requisitions totaling $95,640.04 under state security or technology funds specifically allocated for the Princeton schools from various vendors, Onofri said.

Taylor ordered items and either kept them for personal use or sold them for a profit, authorities said. The electronic devices that Taylor sold were recovered in Colorado, South Carolina, Cherry Hill, NJ, and Pittsburgh, PA.

Video evidence of Taylor picking up custom interior doors at a building supply store in Hamilton was also obtained, Onofri said.

In a statement released Thursday, Princeton Schools said that once aware of Taylor's activities, the Board of Education took immediate steps to ensure she had no access to District funds.

"Since that time, the Board and district staff have fully cooperated with the efforts of law enforcement," the school district said. "As a result of recommendations made by the auditors, the Board has implemented additional layers of accountability and communication regarding the expenditure of funds for non-public schools."

The Board said it was unable to divulge more details due to the pending prosecution, but will "share more information when doing so will not compromise any ongoing legal proceeding."

Taylor was arrested on Monday and released pending future court proceedings, Onofri said.

Second-degree crimes carry a penalty of five to 10 years in state prison and a $150,000 fine. Third-degree crimes carry a penalty of three to five years in state prison and a $15,000 fine.

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