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December 5, 2017: Leslie Lewis, Former Baltimore Community High School Principal, Pleads Guilty To Two Counts Of Felony Theft

Leslie Lewis, Former Baltimore Community High School Principal, Pleads Guilty To Two Counts Of Felony Theft

December 5, 2017

For Immediate Release

State Prosecutor Emmet C. Davitt announced today that former Baltimore Community High School Principal Leslie Lewis, 44, of Owings Mills, Maryland, pleaded guilty to two counts of felony theft in connection with two schemes to steal money and property from the school.  The Honorable Charles Peters scheduled sentencing and a restitution hearing for January 31, 2018. This matter was originally referred to the State Prosecutor’s Office by the Baltimore City Public School System’s Office of Legal Counsel.

From a Statement of Facts in support of the guilty plea, the court learned that in one scheme Lewis, while employed as Principal of Baltimore Community High School, stole approximately $13,409.28 from a PNC Bank account which she set up on behalf of Baltimore Community High School.  These funds were the proceeds of the sale of school uniforms, school supplies, snacks, class dues payments, and graduation fees.  Lewis used an ATM/ Debit card associated with this PNC account to make 49 ATM withdrawals at Maryland Live Casino.  (see Statement of Facts – Ind. #117075030).

In the second scheme, the court was informed that Lewis used deceptive purchase orders to steal over $35,000.00 worth of technology from Baltimore City Public Schools through their internal purchasing system. (see Statement of Facts – Ind.#117075031).

State Prosecutor Emmet C. Davitt stated: “There is no one more trusted and relied upon in the school system than a school principal.  The betrayal of that trust by Ms. Lewis is monumentally offensive and cannot be tolerated.”

Lewis is the third Baltimore City Public School Principal charged and convicted by the Office of the State Prosecutor of stealing from student activity fund accounts since 2013. In October of 2015, Alisha Trusty, former principal of Western High School, pleaded guilty to stealing approximately $54,000 from the school’s student activity fund. In March of 2013, William Howard, II, former principal of Coppin Academy, pleaded guilty to stealing over $10,000 from that school’s student activity fund account.


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