The former cafeteria manager for Bucks County Technical High School in Bristol Township was indicted this month by federal authorities for allegedly defrauding the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program of $179,000.
Glen Werley, 47, of Sarasota, Fla., was indicted on one count of wire fraud, United States Attorney Zane David Memeger announced Thursday afternoon.
Advertisements
The indictment shows that officials suspect Werley stole money from the cafeteria’s cash box on a regular basis and took part in making payment reimbursement request to the government for thousands of free and reduced price meals that were never served. The fraud is said to have taken place between September 2008 and June 2011.
Werley, according to court documents, made false payment request for 1,947 breakfasts and 852 lunches.
The 47-year-old entered payment request for meals he said were severed to students. However, officials said they uncovered thousands of those meal were never served and the students he said ate were absent. Memeger said that one of the students was not even attending the technical school.
Advertisements
The indictment states that Werley used the money stolen from the cash box was used for “personal use and enrichment.”
The school has three lunch lines and a snack cart. Federal officials said students can pay using cash or a student debit account.
“If convicted the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 20 years in prison, a 3-year period of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment,” Memeger said in a statement.
Advertisements
The case was investigated by the United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth Abrams.
