Feds indict ex-Dover charter principal on theft charges

The former principal of the Academy of Dover Charter could face decades in prison after being charged with embezzling $5,000 of federal money from the institution, the U.S. attorney for Delaware announced Thursday.

Noel Rodriguez, 55, was indicted on four counts of federal program theft, accused of taking money or property from 2011 to 2014, the U.S. attorney's office said.

During that time, the school received over $10,000 in federal funding annually from the U.S. Department of Education, which is the "basis for the federal program theft charges," the office said. He embezzled a portion of that money each year, which eventually added up to $5,000.

On each count, the former Dover resident faces up to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release, in addition to possible fines and restitution, the office said.

According to a report by State Auditor Tom Wagner's office issued last year, Rodriguez, who left the school in 2014, used school cash to make $127,866 in personal purchases, reimbursed employees for buying alcohol and other barred items, paid legal fees for a sexual harassment lawsuit and gave arbitrary bonuses to teachers.

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His case is being investigated by the FBI, the U.S. Department of Education – Office of the Inspector General and the Delaware Attorney General’s Office, with assistance from the Delaware Officer of Auditor of Accounts.

There have been other cases involving embezzlement at Delaware charter schools.

Just last month, former charter school administrator Sean Moore pleaded guilty to embezzling $161,871 from the Family Foundations Academy in New Castle, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for Delaware.

Contact Christina Jedra at cjedra@delawareonline.com, (302) 324-2837 or on Twitter @ChristinaJedra.