A Crofton woman was sentenced yesterday in Anne Arundel Circuit Court to 18 months on work release for embezzling at least $13,500 from a school PTA and a town athletic council.
Susan Haller, 32, former treasurer of the Crofton Meadows Elementary PTA and registrar of the Crofton Athletic Council, pleaded guilty yesterday to taking at least $10,000 from the council. Prosecutors said Haller has arranged to make an $800 payment toward that debt, and $400 a month until the debt is paid off.
Haller, of the 2000 block of Cambridge Drive, also plead guilty Oct. 26 to taking $3,500 from the elementary school's PTA. She has since paid back that money, according to court records and PTA officials.
Before being sentenced yesterday, Haller, a former free-lance community correspondent for The Sun, said she realized she had wronged her community. She also asked Judge Raymond G. Thieme Jr. to sentence her to probation.
"I'm very sorry for everything I did," said Haller, who appeared in court without a lawyer. "I've hurt a lot of people. . . . I have two children who are suffering, going through the embarrassment."
In a statement read by Assistant State's Attorney Eugene M. Whissell II, Haller admitted pocketing the athletic council's registration fees. Although she didn't know the exact amount, she believed it to be at least $10,000, Mr. Whissell said.
Haller told authorities she used the money for "personal, family and household purposes," according to the statement.
An athletic council investigation showed about $19,000 missing, but officials could not verify that amount, council lawyer Dennis Robin said yesterday.
Judge Thieme sentenced Haller to five years and suspended all but 18 months. Haller will be allowed to leave the Anne Arundel county jail during the day to work, but will have to spend her nights behind bars. She could have received a maximum of 15 years plus a $1,000 fine for each count of felony theft.
"She went through the court system. I'm happy with what ever the court says," said Lucinda Godfrey, the current Crofton Meadows PTA president.
Mr. Whissell and Mr. Robin called the sentence appropriate.
"Sue Haller had a number of close friends who served on the board of the athletic council and who were terribly hurt when they learned what had transpired," Mr. Robin said.