The Judson Independent School District appeared to be at a loss about a computer for some of their smartest students. Their director of desktop services could not find a Compaq laptop designated for the Talented and Gifted (TAG) program at Spring Meadow Elementary school.
The reason: the computer was declared stolen last week. According to an arrest warrant, former teacher Stephanie Plum Christian was arrested for stealing the laptop more than a week later. Plus, the arrest document said her husband who is the assistant fire chief for the Converse Fire Department will likely face theft charges too.
45-year-old Christian was arrested Wednesday for theft $500 to $1500 by a public servant. She is out of jail on a $2,000 bond. Her husband, Raymond Wayne Christian, has not been arrested. However, an arrest warrant from the Judson ISD police said the 39-year-old will be arrested for theft $500 to $1500.
According to the arrest document, the stolen computer was assigned to Stephanie. She is currently a teacher at Windcrest Elementary School, police said.
Initially, a search for the laptop reportedly turned up nothing. So, the warrant said the system contacted Stephanie who advised the staff at Spring Meadow she did not know where the computer could be.
Police said the district used its computer tracking software to seek out usage of the stolen computer. The tracking system is called Computrace Lo Jack for laptops. According to the warrant, the software detected internet access to the on-line social network Facebook on March 4. The account was registered to Stephanie Plum Christian, investigators said.
Judson police said they went to the educator's home where they encountered her husband. According to the warrant, they explained their search for a stolen Judson ISD laptop.
"I am on a laptop right now,' Raymond reportedly told investigators. "Come on in."
According to investigators, it was the stolen laptop.The computer was seized for evidence, the warrant said.
Then, police allege they went to Stephanie's current school in the Northeast Independent School District on March 5. Officers said she was not at work. The warrant said they left her a note but she never contacted them.
Investigators said on the same day they had another conversation with Asst Chief Christian because he was also a suspect in the theft.
"Why you got the computer back?' he allegedly said.
The warrant said police asked Raymond why he and his wife didn't return the computer. Police said the man shook his head but did not answer. He reportedly agreed to speak with them at a later time. However, investigators claim that never happened.
School investigators reportedly reached Stephanie three days later. They said she wanted to cooperate with the investigation. But officers claim repeat attempts to talk with the educator were unsuccessful. In fact, police said they received a fax giving notice of legal representation for Stephanie. They stopped any further contact.
According to the school district, the computer was worth $922. They also said their former employee was not authorized to have the computer. The warrant claims an unspecified number of elementary students were deprived of using the Judson ISD computer since it was gone from July 2009 until police recovered it. They allege the suspects' use was for personal gain only.
