Group officers named in theft

A West Branch teacher and a part-time bus driver have been charged.

By HAROLD GWIN

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

BELOIT — Smith Township Police say money that should have benefited children in the West Branch Little Warriors Athletic Association was diverted by two association officers for their own use.

Krista L. Zinni, 36, of South Range Road and Meredith L. Wayt, 33, of West Maryland Avenue, Sebring, were arrested on theft charges and face a hearing in Mahoning County Court No. 3 at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Police said Wayt is an elementary teacher in the West Branch schools and was president of the Little Warriors Association at the time of the thefts between June 1, 2006, and July 31, 2007. Zinni is a part-time bus driver for the school district and was treasurer of the association, police said.

The association is not affiliated with the school.

Checks issued by the association require the signature of both the president and treasurer, and Zinni’s and Wayt’s names appear on 11 checks that police believe were diverted to their personal use, said Detective Terry Rockwell.

Nine of the checks totaling $5,086 are alleged to have been cashed by Zinni for her personal use while two totaling $656 were believed to be cashed by Wayt, Rockwell said, noting that one of them may have been used to make a car payment.

Zinni is charged with nine counts of felony theft and is free after posting $22,500 bond. Wayt is charged with two counts of felony theft and is free on $5,000 bond.

Neither woman would discuss the case with police, Rockwell said.

West Branch school officials were unavailable to comment on the status of the two women.

Rockwell said the association apparently initially tried to resolve the matter internally. But a parent or member of the association alerted the state attorney general’s office to a case of possible theft.

The state referred the case to Salem police, who then turned it over to Smith Township authorities after learning that one of the suspects, Zinni, lives in the township and basically conducted the association’s business out of her home, Rockwell said.

The association’s bank account normally has between $10,000 and $20,000 in it at any given time, he said.

He got the case Sept. 6 and launched an investigation that ran 10 weeks and resulted in the securing of arrest warrants for the two women Wednesday, he said.

gwin@vindy.com