A former university employee was sentenced Friday to 30 days in jail by the Prince George’s County Circuit Court for making thousands of dollars worth of personal purchases with university credit cards last year.
Romaine Kim Johnson, 43, who worked as a clerk in the department of cell biology and molecular genetics, was accused of charging more than $16,000 to university credit card accounts to pay for “several desktop computers, laptops and related equipment, cell phones, automobile repair expenses, private school tuition, speeding ticket fees, clothing and apartment rental charges,” according to a press release from the Maryland attorney general’s office.
According to the state, Johnson was sentenced to three years in jail with all but 30 days suspended, five years probation, and must pay $15,123 in restitution.
According to the release, Johnson admitted in a March 2006 plea to using university cards to pay for things including “her son’s private school tuition (at Good Counsel High School), car and apartment rental expenses for her boyfriend, and clothing for her boyfriend’s son.”
Johnson was issued the credit cards by the university to make purchases related to the biology and genetics department. The charges spanned from January to December 2005.
The Universit y Police launched an investigation into the credit card accounts after recieving a tip from the purchasing department about suspicious purchases in the cell biology and molecular genetics department.
After recovering some of the computer equipment at Johnson’s Bowie home, police referred the matter to the Criminal Investigations Division of the Attorney General’s Office, according to the statement.
Johnson was charged in March with felony theft, misdemeanor theft and knowingly falsifying public records.
Compiled by reporter Kelly Whittaker at whittakerdbk@gmail.com.
