Press Release From Polk County Sheriff’s Office
Lakeland , Florida – Monday, September 19, 2016, PCSO deputies arrested 28-year-old Kaelin Mancuso (AKA Westberry) of Lakeland, and charged her with 3 counts Forgery (F-3), 1 count Grand Theft (F-3), and 3 counts Passing a Forged Instrument (F-3). She is a Physical Education teacher at Kathleen High School, and a softball coach.
For your convenience I am copying and pasting the probable cause from the affidavit, and it is self-explanatory:
The suspect, Kaelin Mancuso (Westberry), is the head softball coach at Kathleen High School.
On March 31, 2016, Dean Koulogianes of Instrument Solutions, sponsored one of the players for Kathleen High School’s softball team in expectation of an advertisement banner for his company. Koulogianes submitted check number 2798 in the amount of $300.00 made payable to “Dirt Devils Softball.” This check was never turned in by Mancuso and no advertisement banner was ever ordered for Instrument Solutions.
On 7-1-2016 the check was deposited by mobile deposit into Mancuso’s personal bank account at MidFlorida Credit Union. The check was altered as the “Pay to the Order of” was changed from “Dirt Devils Softball” to read “Kaelin Mancuso.”
Mancuso turned in form 829 to KHS, dated 6-10-16, reporting that no monies were received from the sponsorship banners promotion. Kathleen High School staff could find no records of an advertising banner being ordered or displayed at the school.
On 4-23-2016, North Lakeland Baseball and Softball Inc submitted check number 1016 to Kathleen High School Softball for a workday the team helped the organization with. The check was made payable to “Kathleen Softball” in the amount of $200.00.
This check was not turned into the school and on 8-25-2016 the check was deposited into Kaelin Mancuso’s personal MidFlorida Credit Union bank account. The check was altered as “Pay to the Order of” section was changed from “Kathleen Softball” to read “Kaelin Mancuso.”
On 8-8-2016, North Lakeland Baseball and Softball Inc submitted check number 1053 to Kathleen High School Softball for “Opening Day Help”. The check was made payable to “Kathleen Softball” in the amount of $200.00.
This check was not turned into the school and on 8-25-2016 the check was deposited into Kaelin Mancuso’s personal MidFlorida Credit Union bank account. The check was altered as “Pay to the Order of” section was changed from “Kathleen Softball” to read “Kaelin Mancuso.”
The mobile deposits were made from phone number 386-931-6796, which is the personal cell phone number of Kaelin Mancuso.
Kathleen High School checked the financial record for the Softball team and found no deposits into the softball account since November 2015.
Post-Miranda Mancuso stated she received the two donation checks from North Lakeland Baseball and Softball in late August. She said she did not believe the school would accept them so she whited out the name and wrote her name on the check and deposited the checks into her personal bank account. She said she used the money to purchase team equipment and never reported it to the school.
Mancuso also stated she received the sponsorship/advertisement check from Instrument Solutions, but said it
was for her fall ball team, which is a school related travel ball team, but not affiliated with the school. She said
she whited out the name on the check and wrote her name and deposited it into her personal bank account. She purchased team equipment with the money and did not report it to the school. She did not know the check was to be used for any advertising and did not think it was related to the sponsorship fundraiser her team was conducting at the time the check was written.
Mancuso said she did not know it was wrong to change the checks and said she did not steal any money.
By altering three checks and depositing the checks into her personal bank account via mobile deposit, Mancuso committed the offenses of forgery (3x) and uttering a forged/altered instrument (3x). By not turning over the funds to Kathleen High School Mancuso committed the offense of grand theft.
Mancuso was booked in this afternoon and she will have a first appearance hearing on Tuesday, September 20, 2016, at 1:00 p.m.
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(Sept. 19, 2016)
Polk County School Board Statement Regarding Arrest of
Kathleen High Coach
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has arrested Kaelin Mancuso Westberry, a P.E. teacher as well as a softball and volleyball coach at Kathleen High,
on charges of grand theft, forgery and uttering a forged/altered instrument.
Polk County Public Schools has placed this employee on paid administrative leave, and an internal investigation has begun. We are cooperating fully
with law enforcement in their investigation.
We appreciate the Polk County Sheriff’s Office being swift and professional in responding to this situation.
The allegations against this employee are troubling. Many residents and businesses support our schools’ athletic and academic programs. The school district
is grateful for the generosity of the community. Any misuse of these resources is unacceptable.
At Kathleen High, an internal account was set up last year for coaches to deposit funds and purchase items through Kathleen High’s athletic director
and finance secretary. This was done to improve accountability.
Considering that this is the subject of an internal investigation as well as being a pending criminal
case, we will not be providing an interview at this time. We will advise you accordingly if that changes.
Kaelin Mancuso’s annual salary is $42,171. Her hire date is 3/19/2012.
She has disciplinary action in her personnel file for the following:
April 2016 – written reprimand for using profanity
Lake Wales, Florida – On 9/17/2016 the Polk County Sheriff’s Office was called to a vehicle crash with possible intoxication. The incident occurred on Munchie Rd. in Babson Park. On arrival deputies made contact with Edward G. Cooper 60, of Lake Buffum Rd. According to reports Cooper allegedly followed a female (victim) down to the Lake Easy boat, got out of his truck and proceeded to expose his genitals while he urinated on the ground in front of the victim. Allegedly he apologized to the female victim, but stated he had to go! The victim went to leave and Cooper allegedly was yelling to come back and stay. Sometime shortly after this is when medical was called because allegedly Cooper and his truck ended up off the road into the woods. When questioned by deputies he advised that he stepped out of his truck and it rolled into the woods. According to the arrest report deputies found his explanation hard to believe since it would appear that the truck would have had to roll up hill, turn right and then roll down hill into the woods.
