Sept. 20, 2024 12:10p
(WGTD)---At an emotional sentencing hearing Friday, a former administrator of a private school in Racine for special needs students was sent to prison for embezzlement.
43-year-old Heather Wenthold was sentenced to three years in prison for stealing $80,000 from Sonnenberg Schools and using the money for home improvements and vacations.
School owner Paris Sonnenberg said Wenthold had portrayed herself as an energetic, competent, ethical and god-fearing administrator. In the end, Wenthold proved herself to be evil, dangerous, narcistic and void of any morals, according to Sonnenberg. "She fooled all of us," she said.
A couple of parents also spoke. Heather Bennett almost immediately broke down in sobs before collecting herself and describing her deep sense of betrayal. Bennett said the money that was stolen could’ve been used to buy badly-needed playground equipment.
In passing sentence, Judge Timothy Boyle said Wenthold not only stole from the school and harmed its reputation but also in a sense robbed students, parents, staff and the community as a whole.
In her defense, Wenthold apologized profusely and said she was determined to cover the complete loss, which, according to Paris Sonnenberg, totaled over $200,000, once all of the expenses associated with the investigation were figured in.
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