UPDATE: The office of North Carolina State Auditor Dave Boliek is conducting “an investigative audit” of Lee County Schools.
“I’ve talked to leadership of Lee County Schools, the District Attorney, and local law enforcement,” Boliek said. “With our investigation into Lee County Schools, the goal is to provide an objective account to assist in resolving what appears to be financial malfeasance.”
ORIGINAL STORY: Sanford police on Wednesday charged a former Lee County Schools Central Office employee with embezzling more than $170,000 from the district.
Jordan Allred, 36, of Sanford faces a single felony count of embezzlement related to the alleged theft of more than $190,000 from the Lee County Schools district. Allred, who voluntarily surrendered on Wednesday, was until recently employed with Lee County Schools as assistant finance officer, according to at least one media report. Her name had been removed from the district’s website as of Monday.
According to the SPD incident report, the missing money was “last known secure” in October of 2023, but the arrest warrant lists February 2022 as the date of offense. The warrant also indicates the total amount embezzled is $190,588.93, almost $20,000 more than the $171,220 first reported by the district.
Allred was released from custody on a $250,000 unsecured bond. She’s scheduled for a first court appearance on Thursday.
Embezzlement of more than $100,000 is a class C felony under North Carolina law.
Lee County Schools discovered the situation on Thursday, and issued a statement late Friday night indicating that Superintendent Dr. Chris Dossenbach was “leading an immediate and thorough review of the situation to ensure transparency and accountability.” Further questions to the district – including about the source of the missing funds and how the theft was discovered – have not been acknowledged as of Wednesday afternoon. The Rant obtained details about the case from the Sanford Police Department’s incident report.
Allred’s attorney Chas Post told The Rant that she maintains her innocence.
“As our forefathers intended, Ms. Allred is cloaked in the presumption of innocence,” he said. “Although that presumption seems to be disappearing before our very eyes, it currently still exists, and Ms. Allred maintains her innocence. She voluntarily surrendered herself this morning at the Sanford Police Department, and is fully cooperating with the law enforcement investigation.”
Ok, why did does she maintain her innocence , but turns herself in ?
Innocent people don’t go on the lam. Or at least they have not needed to for most our history. A person can be charged with anything, that does not mean guilt. Trials are for that.
The involvement of the State Auditor’s Office is highly unusual. Typically on a “normal” local governmental theft the unit investigates first and gets the facts before calling in the law. This could be an illegal funds transfer, the tapping of some State or Federally restricted money in a discrete account, etc., etc. The Lee County Schools are a pretty large entity for a direct embezzlement theft by staff, there should be controls in place to prevent it from happening. Usually people steal cash and first start taking it, planning to give it back. But like an addict they take more and more.
She used to blow her boss at Moores now she blew money great job teeth she should have got the buck teeth fixed
What a nasty, hateful and unnecessary comment, you should be ashamed of yourself. I personally feel sad for everyone involved.
You are sure right about that ugly comment. Shame on Timothy Johnson.
I was the boss at Moore’s. Only thing that was blown was the commode up in the employee restroom. We just could never find a paint that would stick to those walls. The smell was vile.
Chas is not one that I would have thought would be quoting our forefathers so for that I am surprised and proud.
Yeah truth hurts I guess but I tell it like it is- When she is always closing the door spending hours with her boss yeah don’t take a professor to realize that
Like me or not I don’t care ugly comment OH WELL.
I am ashamed of nothing I have nothing to hide and don’t steal
I also didn’t hide my name so PROOF I have NOTHING to hide.
And as for ASKING’S comments if she pleads guilty there is NO DEALS to be made. You ALWAYS plead innocent.
She was and is still a sneaky snake in the grass. But now she caught up in a web.
Is she a finisher though? That’s the only question anyone cares about.
The only ones who care are you and Tim Johnson