An Indianapolis man responsible for manning a box office and concessions stand at Franklin Community Schools stole more than $9,400 in the span of about five months, a state audit revealed.
Ian Marshall, 29, who worked at Franklin Community High School’s Performing Arts Center from August 2016 to March 2018, pocketed money collected from ticket sales and concession items during at least six events between October 2017 and March 2018, according to the audit.
The audit was filed Friday with the State Board of Accounts. School officials, including superintendent David Clendening and school board president Bryan Wertz, learned of the audit’s findings Dec. 4.
Franklin schools released the following statement Friday: "When (Franklin Community Schools) discovered this incident, building and district leadership quickly enacted steps to identify the issue," the statement said.
"Additionally, a calendar was created, which allows the building treasurer to cross reference (Performing Arts Center) events with deposits."
As assistant manager, Marshall was responsible for preparing deposits for ticketed admissions and concession sales, managing the box office and concessions stand, and assisting with performances.
In November 2017, school officials found checks from ticket sales that had not been deposited. They later found several days worth of cash collections were also not deposited, according to the audit.
Marshall had not used the cash register for several days of concessions sales, and reports for those days were not filed. About $4,392 from ticket sales, and $5,008 from concessions were missing, the audit said.
School officials contacted the Franklin Police Department and State Board of Accounts as required by law. Marshall resigned on March 30, 2018.
The State Board of Accounts requested Marshall reimburse Franklin schools $9,400, and the State of Indiana $8,500 for investigation costs.
Prosecutor’s charged Marshall with felony theft, to which he plead guilty. He was arrested in April 2018 and released on $1,000 cash bond, according to online court records. He was later sentenced to a year in county jail, but served just two days, with the rest of his sentence suspended to probation, court records show.
Marshall paid $4,797 in restitution to the Johnson County Clerk’s Office on Aug. 1, 2018. He still owes the school and state about $13,100.
<em>Daily Journal reporter Andy Bell-Baltaci contributed to this report.</em>
