Past PTO President for Maerker School District Charged with Theft of PTO Funds

DuPage County State’s Attorney Joseph E. Birkett and Willowbrook Police Chief Edward Konstanty announced that Anne L. Martin, 44 (d.o.b. 2/11/60) of 29 W 56th Street in Willowbrook was charged yesterday with Theft and Theft by Deception in connection with the alleged theft of approximately $12,000 from the Maerker School District Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) in Willowbrook.  Martin was a past President of the Maerker School District PTO.  She turned herself in this morning to the Willowbrook Police Department and posted the requisite 10% of her $10,000 bond.

The complaint alleges that between February 2002 and June of 2004, Martin used her position as President of the Maerker School District PTO to steal approximately $12,000 in PTO funds for her own personal use.  She is alleged to have written several checks to herself on the PTO account and then deposited them into her own personal bank account. 

When reviewing the books of the PTO, newly elected PTO Board Members discovered that there were funds missing in the PTO account.  They immediately brought the problem to the attention of the Willowbrook Police Department and filed a report of theft.  Shortly thereafter, the investigation became public after press release was sent out by the Maerker School District announcing the incident.  The Willowbrook Police Department conducted an investigation with the assistance of Assistant State’s Attorney Tim Diamond, the Supervisor of the Public Integrity & Financial Crimes Unit of the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office.  At the conclusion of the investigation, the State’s Attorney’s Office yesterday approved charges of Theft and Theft by Deception.  A warrant for Martin’s arrest was approved yesterday by Judge Eugene Wojcik, with bail being set at $10,000.

“Although a school PTO or PTA is not a tax-based organization, the funds of the organization are raised through the volunteer efforts of thousands of people,” commented State’s Attorney Birkett.  “The Maerker School District PTO and all of the parents, teachers, staff and students that are affiliated with the PTO, place their trust in the officers of the organization.  Prosecution of this defendant is necessary in order to restore that trust in the Maerker School District PTO.”

If found guilty of either of these offenses, both class 2 felonies, penalties would include 3 to 7 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, however it is a probationable offense.

Members of the public are reminded that this complaint contains only charges and is not proof of the defendant’s guilt.  A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the government’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.