The former treasurer of the Onalaska Loggers Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) accused of embezzling over $18,000 from the association pleaded guilty Friday to theft charges in Lewis County Superior Court.
Sara Beth Miller, 40, of Onalaska, was charged with first-degree theft and first-degree identity theft in November 2021 following an investigation by the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office into “a large number of strange transactions not associated with PTSA activity” in Onalaska PTSA’s bank account, according to court documents.
While there was approximately $17,000 in the account in February 2020, the account held $20 at the time charges against Miller were filed on Nov. 8, 2021.
Miller was accused of taking out a debit card in her name for the PTSA’s bank account and using it to make personal purchases between Feb. 1, 2020, and Jan. 31, 2021.
She pleaded guilty to one count each of first-degree theft and first-degree identity theft on Sept. 2.
“I committed theft of property in excess of $5,000 and did so by use of an account at Twin Star Credit Union (of) the Onalaska Parent Teacher Association,” Miller wrote in her guilty plea.
While the maximum penalty for each charge is 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine, the standard range — which is calculated based on the level of violence associated with the crime and the defendant’s criminal history — is two to six months in prison for the theft charge and six to 12 months for the identity theft charge.
State law generally prohibits the sentencing judge from setting a defendant’s sentence above or below the sentencing range.
Miller’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Nov. 9.
Miller was arrested on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021, and was released three days later on Monday, Nov. 8, on $10,000 unsecured bail, meaning she does not have to pay any of the bail amount as long as she follows her conditions of release and shows up to mandatory court hearings.
She has been on administrative leave from the Onalaska School District for the duration of the proceedings.
