MILWAUKEE -- A 48-year-old Kewaskum woman faces a charge of embezzlement (value exceeding $10,000) for allegedly embezzling tens of thousands of dollars from the Brown Deer School District. The accused is Jennifer Dettmann.
According to the criminal complaint, Dettmann was employed by Taher, Inc., a food service vendor, as the Food Service Director for the Village of Brown Deer elementary school and middle/high school from April 1, 2008 until Jan. 8, 2016. Dettmann was "involved in the financial management of the food service program" with a system known as Skyward, the complaint says. Dettmann was the "primary supervisor of all food service funds coming into the school district and how those funds were posted to the student accounts." The complaint indicates through accounting, Dettmann may have embezzled nearly $110,000 from 2011 through 2016.
The complaint details the "basic scheme" Dettmann is alleged to have operated. It reads as follows:
The complaint says "Dettmann admitted that, as Food Service Director, she would take money that was supposed to be deposited to the school accounts for herself. She would often then deposit that money in her bank account." Dettmann told police she did not remember when she first began taking money -- and unsure of the amount of money she took. But the complaint says Dettmann "believed it to be approximately $50,000."
Dettmann is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday, Jan. 30.