PTO president in CT charged with stealing over $20,000 in school funds 

The former president of a parent-teacher organization in Somers turned herself in on a warrant Tuesday and is facing larceny charges for allegedly stealing over $20,000 from school funds, according to the Connecticut State Police.

Marissa L. Marks, 41, of Somers, was charged with first-degree larceny for allegedly taking $20,850.90 in PTO funds plus $1,424.82 in restitution due to bank overdraft fees charged to the PTO’s account, state police said.

According to a warrant affidavit for Marks’ arrest, she was elected president of the PTO in Somers in May 2019 and during her time in that role was the only person who had access to a single debit card linked to the PTO’s bank account, the affidavit said.

The card was in Marks’ possession from June 2020 until it was closed in July 2022, according to the affidavit.

During that time, suspected unauthorized transactions on the card totaled $12,186 plus banking fees. The unauthorized charges provided in the affivadit included cash withdrawals from the bank checking and money market accounts totaling $1,200, as well as the following charges: Amazon $2,393.88, Square Art $442.75, Yankee Candle $179.40, Sue’s Shirts $500, Matt Wilhelm $475, MBA activity fund $300, OTC brands $227.80, USPS $73.39, DG Graphics $87.21, Scholastic Education $38.24, Staples $140.33, 5 Below $202.57, Target $975.88, Kohl’s $49.45, Dollar Tree $14.99, Michaels $107.18, Stop & Shop $557.71, Geissler’s $362.42, Yard Card $195, Barnes and Noble $197.46, Shell $20, Cosco $1,825.46, Home Depot $82.69, Walgreens $22.82, Hot Table $28.08, Growth Company $132.94, Taylor Rental $167.63, Joanne’s $40.69, Party City $50.17, Dunkin’ Donuts $127.76, Big Y $41.62, Suffield Vet $444.85, Red Robin $48.24, Rick the Barber $25, Stop & Shop Fuel $20.02, Kim’s Nails $50.41, McDonald’s $18.50, Petco $19.11, Randall Farm $91.59 and U.S. Treasury $160.46.

Last June, members of the PTO received a letter from the bank stating that the checking account was overdrawn in the amount of $1,346, the affidavit said.

In November 2021, the PTO held a Scholastic Book Fair and all money from the fair was given to Marks to deposit. That December, Scholastic reported that its balance had not been paid, according to the affidavit.

Members of the PTO reportedly tried for months to resolve the issue, asking Marks to provide proof of deposits and payments made to Scholastic, the affidavit said. Payments made by check had been deposited but $8,514 in cash deposits were reportedly missing, the affidavit said.

On multiple Zoom calls, PTO members asked Marks where the missing money from the book fair missing was, the affidavit said. In Oct. 2022, Marks reportedly said on a Zoom call she found the missing $8,514 in cash in her kitchen closet at her house and delivered it to the elementary school, police said.

During a conference call to discuss misuse of PTO funds Marks allegedly told other members “that she used the debit card for personal funds and that she was sorry,” according to the affidavit.

She offered to step down as president and was told by other members “that her three years as PTO president was up and it would be best if she did not run again,” the affidavit said.

Students at Somers elementary and middle schools missed out on all PTO-sponsored events from September 2020 to June 2022 due to a lack of funding, according to the affidavit.

On March 22, members of the Somers PTO went to state police to report a misuse of PTO funds after trying for months to resolve the matter with Marks, police said.

Marks turned herself in to Troop C in Tolland. She was released on a $10,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court in Rockville on June 14, according to state police.