The Peru Gazette

Kristina Hand to Serve Two Years of Probation and Pay $34,000 in Restitution for Stealing from Morris Central School District

State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli announced Kristina Hand was sentenced in federal court for stealing $34,000 from the Morris Central School District in Otsego County.

Hand, 47, of Morris, pled guilty last September to two counts of federal program theft, for stealing from a school district that received federal funds. She was sentenced Thursday to two years of probation and ordered to serve 50 hours of community service. Hand was also ordered to pay $34,000 in restitution.

“Ms. Hand took advantage of her position as treasurer and thought she could get away with stealing from the school district to fund her personal shopping,” DiNapoli said. “She was wrong and now she must face the consequences of her actions. My thanks to Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York Antoinette T. Bacon and the FBI for their continued partnership in the fight against public corruption.”

Hand admitted she stole about $24,000 by depositing checks payable to the school district into bank accounts that she controlled. She also admitted stealing at least $10,000 more by using the school district’s Amazon account and credit cards to purchase personal items during her time as treasurer for the school district from 2014 through February 2020.

This case was investigated in partnership with the FBI and the New York State Police and was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District.