A Warsaw woman who pleaded guilty to stealing money from the Lincoln School Parent Teacher Organization was sentenced this morning in Kosciusko Superior Court.

Kathleen A. Lursen, 36, pleaded guilty to the charge of theft, a Class D felony, in March.

Today she was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended to probation. She was ordered to pay an initial probation user's fee of $50 and $20 monthly. She was ordered to continue counseling at Bowen Center and obtain employment of 37 to 40 hours a week. She was also ordered to give a face-to-face apology to the PTO, and pay a $200 fine and $125 court costs.

Lursen was the former president of the PTO and also acted as treasurer for the group. In October 1997, four new members of the PTO contacted Warsaw police and reported that Lursen admitted to stealing money from the organization.

According to court documents, the board members said Lursen would not turn over the board account books and bank records for several months. When she did go to the board, she allegedly admitted to taking more than $28,000.

Lursen reportedly told police she took the funds for her own personal use. She reimbursed the PTO $5,300 when she reportedly first admitted to the theft.

A past board member said the PTO trusted the unpaid officers of the organization and allowed them to collect and disburse money with little supervision. Based on an audit of the PTO's funds, board members reported 14 separate incidents of misappropriation beginning in 1993.

The money Lursen allegedly stole was collected through fund-raisers conducted by the elementary school throughout the school years.

Lursen gave $22,882.30 to the PTO on Nov. 18, 1997, to finish the reimbursement. [[In-content Ad]]