Smithton, Ill. – Roy Joseph Monti, 54, of St. Louis, Missouri, was sentenced last week to 6 months in federal prison and 6 months of home detention. The former principal of St. John the Baptist Elementary School in Smithton, Illinois, pleaded guilty back in September to one count of interstate transportation of stolen money. He will serve an additional 18 months of supervised release following his home confinement.

According to court documents, from March 2017 to November 2019, Monti used his position as the school’s principal to embezzle $113,061.87 from the school’s bank account. He attempted to cover up the thefts by noting purportedly valid expenses on the withdrawal slips, which turned out to be false and fraudulent. Because he lived in Missouri while working in Illinois, Monti often carried large amounts of the stolen cash across state lines, which is a federal felony.

As part of his sentence, the federal district court ordered Monti to make full restitution to the school.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Smithton Police Department.