Crime & Safety

Grand Jury to Hear Case of Former PTA President Charged with Theft

West Orange woman allegedly stole $101,000

[Editor's note: This story was updated to include a response from the defense attorney on April 1.]

The case against a former West Orange Parent-Teacher Association President accused of theft was referred to a grand jury last week, officials with the Essex County Prosecutor's Office told Patch.

Deborah Sanchez, former PTA President at Mt. Pleasant Elementary School, , according to Katherine Carter, spokeswoman for the prosecutor's office.

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Sanchez's attorney, Robert Stevens, said documents were still being reviewed by the prosecutor's office and that the case had only been marked for grand jury. "I am hopeful we can convince the prosecutor that a grand jury presentation will not be appropriate," he said.

The allegations came to light more than a year ago when an audit was conducted by the PTA and brought to the attention of the police department, West Orange Capt. John Buoye said. He said the investigation was then turned over to the prosecutor's office.

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Stevens told Patch in January he was working to explain the situation on her behalf.

"Innocent people do not like to be accused of doing something wrong," he said in January. "There's another side of the story."

The alleged theft took place between Jan. 2008 and Nov. 2010, according to reports.

Sanchez made her first appearance in Superior Court in January and pleaded not guilty, Carter said.


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