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SALT LAKE CITY — A Granite School District employee is charged with fraud for allegedly stealing more than $100,000 from the district over a 4 1/2-year period.
Tracy Atkin, 53, of West Valley City, was working as the administrative secretary for the district's planning and boundaries department between July 2011 and February 2016 when police say she stole $87,863 from the district and $17,600 from Granite Education Support Professional Association, according to charges filed Tuesday in 3rd District Court.
Atkin is charged with communications fraud, money laundering, unlawful dealing of property by a fiduciary, carrying on a pattern of unlawful activity, and theft, all second-degree felonies. She was also charged with two counts of forgery, a third-degree felony.
Atkin was responsible for collecting building and field rental fees for the Granite School District.
An audit found that Atkin took an estimated 50 checks made out to the Granite School District for building and field rental fees totaling $87,863. She deposited them at three Salt Lake County Granite Credit Union locations, though the Granite School District does not have an authorized account with the credit union, court documents state.
Atkin deposited the checks into the account of the Granite Education Support Professional Association, an employee union unaffiliated with the district, her charges state.
Atkin served as president of the union from August 2011 to July 2015, and as secretary/treasurer from August 2015 to May 2016, according to the charges.
Dave Clark, who became president of the union in August 2015, told police he requested the complete financial records from the prior three years, including mandatory audit reports. Atkin refused to provide the records, Clark reported.
During the union audit, two unauthorized checks totaling $1,016 were allegedly written to pay for Atkin's trailer park rent. A union official told police he never signed the checks.
A warrant for Atkin's arrest was issued Tuesday. She has no significant criminal history in Utah, court records show. Email: astilson@deseretnews.com
