Dennis Scott, who opened mail containing cash and money orders as part of his job duties, was indicted on the theft charges in July, the Attorney General's Office said.
The Mercer County Criminal Courthouse at 209 South Broad Street in Trenton on Wednesday, July 25, 2012.
TRENTON — Two former clerks for the state Department of Education were sentenced in Superior Court today for stealing money orders that came in as payments for teaching certificates, the state Attorney General's Office said.
Dennis Scott, 60, of Ewing was sentenced to 364 days in jail and three years of probation. Scott, who worked for the department for about a decade, pleaded guilty last month, admitting he stole four money orders totaling $615.
Scott gave one of the stolen money orders to Dora Hall, 62, of Trenton, who also worked as a clerk for the department. Hall pleaded guilty to taking the $200 proceeds from the money order and was sentenced today to one year of probation.
Scott, who opened mail containing cash and money orders as part of his job duties, was indicted on the theft charges in July. He said that he cashed one of the money orders and gave the three others to different people to cash.
Scott also gave two money orders totaling $225 to an accomplice who has since died, the Attorney General's Office said. Scott said that the accomplice, whose name was not disclosed, cashed the money orders and shared the proceeds with him.
The thefts were discovered by the Attorney General’s division of criminal justice and the State Police during an investigation.
Scott and Hall were fired and will be barred from future public employment. They will have to pay restitution in the amount that they stole.