Joseph City, Arizona - Attorney General Mark Brnovich announced that based upon an investigation performed by the Office of the Auditor General, a State Grand Jury indicted Tonnie Rae Pugh, a former attendance secretary for the Joseph City Unified School District. Pugh is accused of stealing $40,436 in District funds.
Joseph City Unified School District is one of 11 public schools in Navajo County and provides public education from preschool to grade 12 and serves approximately 412 students. In addition to her duties as attendance secretary, Pugh was also responsible for depositing funds raised through student activities such as club fundraisers and those raised by auxiliary operations like athletic event ticket sales. It is alleged that between July of 2011 and January of 2018, Pugh used her position to take cash payments she collected from faculty, students, and parents for her own personal use.
Pugh was indicted on charges of Fraudulent Schemes and Artifices, Violation of Duties of a Custodian of Public Monies, and Theft.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Assistant Attorney General Mary Harriss is prosecuting this case.