Teacher Charged With Theft Stole Pizza Fundraiser Cash, Pre-K Tuition: Police

LAUREL, DE — A Delaware teacher is facing felony theft charges after he stole cash proceeds from an elementary school pizza fundraiser and more than $1,700 in pre-K tuition, according to Delaware State Police.

Wade Bryan, a former secretary at North Lauren Elementary School, was indicted Feb. 14 on two counts of felony theft over $1,500, state police said in a release. Bryan was employed with the school during the summer and fall of 2021, police said.

According to police, Bryan was responsible for managing incoming funds collected from the school's pizza fundraiser as well as tuition for pre-K classes. When incoming checks from the fundraiser hadn't cleared bank accounts, the school discovered Bryan failed to deposit the checks, police said.

Additionally, Bryan also gave the fundraising company the district’s bank account information to conduct an automatic withdrawal for payment for the fundraiser, police said.

Once district officials checked the school safe, they discovered all cash proceeds from the fundraiser were missing and checks were never deposited, police said. Following an internal financial audit, the district discovered Bryan had taken incoming cash proceeds from the fundraiser and pre-K program, according to police.

In all, Bryan is accused of stealing $3,198.50 cash from the fundraiser and $1,775 from pre-K tuition funds, police said.

Bryan turned himself into police following the indictment. He was released on his own recognizance, police said.