Former Washington County principal charged with theft
Washington County prosecutors charged a former high school principal with three felony counts of theft by swindle for misusing school district money.
Aaron Harper allegedly used a South Washington County Schools-issued credit card to buy nearly $8,000 worth of cooking knives to sell for commission and about $1,200 worth of iPad and iTunes purchases. He allegedly dipped into cash collected from student parking passes and parent donations while he was principal of East Ridge High School, according to the complaint filed in Washington County District Court Friday.
Harper, 39, also used school funds to buy a Sam's Club membership, home improvement equipment at Menard's and Target gift cards, prosecutors said.
Fred Fink, criminal division chief for the Washington County Attorney's Office, said Harper used the South Washington County Schools' credit card for purposes "well past his authority."
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"He ordered items for the home economics department, some sets of knives ... which he then kept as opposed to turning it over to the school," he said. "And these were expensive knives, by the way."
Harper was the principal of the Woodbury high school since it opened in 2009. He resigned when the school district began investigating him last November.
The district suspected Harper's inappropriate expenses when the school went over budget in the preceding two years, the complaint said.
The school didn't take disciplinary action against Harper. It turned over the investigation to the Woodbury Police Department.
Harper did not immediately return messages seeking comment.