Former school administrator admits pawning electronics

 BILLINGS (AP) — A former Billings school administrator has admitted she stole and pawned nearly $14,000 in school-owned electronics, including laptops and tablet computers.

Dulce Whitford pleaded guilty Friday to felony theft and three misdemeanor counts for lying to investigators about how many items she took. Sentencing is set for July 18.

Detectives determined Whitford stole $13,700 worth of electronics from the district and pawned them in 57 transactions at several pawn shops between June 2012 and October 2013, prosecutors said. Whitford was the director of the district’s Indian Education for All program, a state-mandated program that teaches American Indian culture and history in the classroom.

She had worked for the district since 2009 and received an annual salary of just over $94,000.

The investigation began when electronics from the school district turned up at a pawn shop in November 2013. The district placed Whitford on leave in November 2013, and she resigned a few days later.

Whitford told investigators she took the property because she was struggling to pay bills and loans, court records said.

Whitford was named the Montana Indian Educator of the Year in 2011 and taught summer school, where she incorporated Native culture into student lessons.