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CROWN POINT — A Highland woman accused of stealing money from a parent-teacher council entered into a pretrial diversion agreement Friday with the Lake County prosecutor's office.
Nicole L. Shadowen, 40, agreed to pay $1,000 in restitution to the Merkley Elementary School Parent Teacher Council, Lake Criminal Court records show.
If Shadowen is not charged with any new crimes within the next year, the state agreed to dismiss two felony counts of theft.
Riding Shotgun/DNR Conservation Officer Tyler Brock
If she fails, the state could resume its prosecution of her, Judge Samuel Cappas said.
Shadowen, who was represented by attorney Joshua Malher, also must pay $450 for court costs and pretrial diversion fees.
After the hearing, Malher and attorney Paul Stracci, of Stracci Law Group, said they hoped the agreement would restore Shadowen's "good name."
"The restitution made in this case should alleviate any doubt as to her commitment to fairness and her responsibility to the children she represented during her tenure as president of the Merkley Elementary PTO," the defense attorneys said. "Ms. Shadowen is relieved to have her life return to normalcy, and we have every confidence she will have no further interactions with the criminal justice system."
According to charging documents, Shadowen served as the organization's president from 2015 to fall 2018.
Highland police opened an investigation after school officials conducted a routine review of Parent Teacher Council accounts during the 2018-19 school year and discovered discrepancies. Police initially said missing funds totaled $16,806.79.
Offense Description: BATTERY - SIMPLE - BODILY WASTE
Offense Description: OWI; BATTERY - SIMPLE - TOUCH W/NO INJURY
Offense Description: NEGLECT OF DEPENDANT/CHILD VIOLATIONS
Offense Description: WEAPON - USE - FIREARM - POINTING A FIREARM
Offense Description: DOMESTIC BATTERY - SIMPLE
Offense Description: DOMESTIC BATTERY - AGGRAVATED - MODERATE BODILY INJURY
Offense Description: POSSESSION - METHAMPHETAMINE
Offense Description: BATTERY - AGGRAVATED - W/PERMANENT INJURY OR DISFIGUREMENT
Offense Description: NEGLECT OF DEPENDANT/CHILD VIOLATIONS
Offense Description: DOMESTIC BATTERY - SIMPLE
Offense Description: SEX CRIME- SEXUAL MISCONDUCT WITH MINOR/STATUTORY RAPE
Offense Description: POSSESSION - COCAINE OR NARCOTIC DRUG
Offense Description: BATTERY - AGAINST LAW ENFORCEMENT OR PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICIAL
Offense Description: POSSESSION - METHAMPHETAMINE
Offense Description: BURGLARY - PROPERTY - RESIDENTIAL ENTRY - BREAKING AND ENTERING
Offense Description: POSSESSION HYPODERMIC SYRINGE OR NEEDLE
Offense Description: THEFT - PROPERTY - CONVERSION - UNAUTHORIZED CONTROL; FRAUD - DECEPTION - IDENTITY
Offense Description: DEALING - METHAMPHETAMINE
Offense Description: BURGLARY - PROPERTY - RESIDENTIAL ENTRY - BREAKING AND ENTERING
Offense Description: DOMESTIC BATTERY - SIMPLE
Offense Description: POSSESSION - COCAINE OR NARCOTIC DRUG
Offense Description: POSSESSION - METHAMPHETAMINE
Offense Description: POSSESSION - COCAINE OR NARCOTIC DRUG
Offense Description: BATTERY - AGGRAVATED - W/INJURY
Offense Description: POSSESSION - METHAMPHETAMINE
Offense Description: POSSESSION - COCAINE OR NARCOTIC DRUG
Offense Description: CRIMINAL RECKLESSNESS - AGGRAVATED - W/DEADLY WEAPON (SOCIETY IS VICTIM)
Offense Description: THEFT - PROPERTY - SHOPLIFTING - < $750
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Lake County Courts and Social Justice Reporter
Sarah covers crime, courts and public safety. She began her career at The Times in 2004. Contact her at sarah.reese@nwi.com or 219-933-3351.
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HIGHLAND — School officials are expressing frustration after a former elementary school parent-teacher council president has surfaced as the p…
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