JOSHUA TREE WOMAN CONVICTED OF EMBEZZLING FROM SCHOOL DISTRICT

A Joshua Tree woman was convicted Wednesday of embezzling from the Morongo Unified School District. Karin Buttinelli, 50, worked in the school district’s payroll and benefits office when she gave herself 68 hours of overtime that she did not earn in August and October 2014, for a total of $1,927. Jurors heard five days of testimony before beginning their deliberations Wednesday afternoon, and took only 1 ½ hours to reach a verdict. Sentencing is set for December 2 before Judge Rodney Cortez in Joshua Tree Superior Court. Karin Buttinelli could be sentenced up to three years in state prison and fined up to $10,000. Buttinelli is free on a $25,000 bail bond.