Former Principal Sentenced For Using School Funds To Play Slots, Buy Electronics

A former Baltimore City high school principal will serve three months in prison and must pay restitution for stealing from school coffers, State Prosecutor Emmet C. Davitt announced Friday.

“We look to and entrust our high school principals with having the best interests of our children at heart," Davitt said in a statement. "Betrayal of that trust is particularly egregious. No parent should worry that their children’s uniform money or prom dues are being spent by their principal at the local casino, nor should taxpayers’ need be concerned that a school principal is spending public school funds to buy expensive technology for herself and her friends.”

Leslie N. Lewis, former principal of the now-closed Baltimore Community High School, pleaded guilty in December to two counts of theft as part of a plea deal. While principal, she stole more than $13,400 from a PNC Bank account she set up in the school's name. That account held proceeds from the sale of school uniforms, supplies, snacks, class dues and graduation fees. She used a card tied to the account to make ATM withdrawals and purchases at area casinos, using that money to play the slots.

From December 31, 2013 to April 9, 2016, Lewis went to Maryland Live! Casino at least 83 times, playing at least $549,000 and losing more than $62,000. She went to the Horseshoe Casino at least 63 times between July 29, 2015 and July 21, 2016, playing at least $52,400 and losing more than $10,700. In all, she lost nearly $73,000 in 146 casino trips, according to Davitt's office, citing casino records.

In the second theft scheme, she used deceptive purchase orders to steal more than $45,000 worth of technology from city schools through their internal purchasing system. Those items included computers, a speaker system, a television and various household appliances.

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