State Auditor Shad White announced Monday that Dana Walker, former H.W. Byers High School Financial Secretary, pleaded guilty to embezzlement.

Walker was initially arrested in February of 2022 by the Marshall County School District Police. The case was then turned over to the Office of the State Auditor for further investigation.

Walker embezzled approximately $39,471 in school activity funds that she collected from students and staff between August 2020 and February 2022.

Walker was employed as the school’s financial secretary and was entrusted with receiving, documenting and depositing all school activity funds. This includes various items such as senior dues, athletic uniforms, parking decals, transcripts and funds received from school-sponsored fundraisers.

Walker will be sentenced in the Marshall County Circuit Court on Aug. 13.

Walker’s employment in the Marshall County School District is covered by a $50,000 surety bond. Surety bonds are similar to insurance and designed to protect taxpayers if public money is misspent.