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Former Duval County School employee charged with grand theft, fraud

A former Duval County Public Schools employee was arrested after school officials discovered $36,748 was missing from Garden City Elementary School's funds.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A former bookkeeper for Garden City Elementary School in Duval County was arrested on charges related to financial misconduct at the school, according to a spokesperson for Duval County Public Schools.

Tramaine Jones, 36, was arrested last Wednesday and is being charged with organized fraud and grand theft, an arrest report from the Duval County School Board Police said.

Back on June 20, the school's principal and a Duval County Public School auditing employee realized around $36,748 in funds were missing. This discovery was made after a box recovered from the school was found with over $400 in loose cash and several uncashed checks, the report said. There was also a check for $30,000 earmarked to come out of the school's extended day account, according to the report.

The school's principal told police there were also missing deposits, paperwork and checks. 

According to the report, when the principal opened the school's armored safe in front of the police, it was discovered that out of the nine deposits documented in the logbook, only five of the physical deposits were in the safe, adding to the total of missing money.

On June 24, Jones was interviewed by the police about the case. The following July, Jones resigned from her position, the DCPS spokesperson said.

The arrest report said Jones avoided police for months following the interview. She was finally arrested Wednesday, Oct. 9, when police found her outside her apartment.

DCPS auditing was able to obtain around $17,800 of missing funds based on the forensic audit of just one school year, according to the report.

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