Woman Who Stole From Great Oak HS Ordered To Work Release Program

TEMECULA, CA — A woman convicted of stealing money from a nonprofit organization established to support Great Oak High School students was granted probation during her sentencing hearing this month, though she was also ordered to serve in a work release program and pay restitution of more than $85,000.

On Thursday, Jessica Anne Vulovic, 43, was sentenced to 12 months probation but will be committed to the custody of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department for 180 days, with 179 of those days to be served in a work release program starting no later than Oct. 16.

Vulovic was also ordered to pay $86,216.70 in restitution for stealing more than $50,000 from the coffers of Great Oak Academic Leadership Society, otherwise known as GOALS. The charity's goal was "to expand and enrich the educational experience of the students at Great Oak High School," in particular Wolfpack athletes, according to CauseIQ.

Vulovic served as GOALS president. The Temecula charity is now defunct, state filings show.

Following her 2021 arrest, Vulovic pleaded guilty May 4 to one count of grand theft, a felony. In exchange for her plea, prosecutors dropped an embezzlement count and one count of intent to defraud.

Vulovic has remained out of custody on bail.

The Temecula Valley Unified School District, where Great Oak High School is located, said it cooperated with law enforcement and prosecutors in the case.

A smattering of news reports and nonprofit websites show Vulovic was involved in other fundraising activities in the Temecula Valley. She has not been charged with any crimes stemming from her other work and she has no other criminal history in Riverside County, court records show.