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FBI: Too soon to know if Chattanooga gunman was radicalized

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‘Shrek the Musical’ offers a moral about not judging

<p>HARRISBURG &#8212; Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane today announced her office has filed criminal charges against a former Mid Valley School District superintendent accused of misappropriating school district funds for his personal use.</p><p>James John Tallarico, 55, of Dunmore, was arraigned Wednesday morning on various criminal charges. He was released after his bail was set at $50,000 unsecured at a preliminary arraignment.</p><p>The Office of Attorney General&#8217;s Bureau of Criminal Investigations started its investigation of Tallarico in March. Agents learned Tallarico misappropriated $11,692 in school district funds between January 2014 and February 2015, according to a criminal complaint.</p><p>Tallarico was issued a gas card and credit card by the school district, investigators said. He allegedly used those cards for non-approved activities, which purportedly included purchases of gift cards, magazine subscriptions and clothing. The unapproved spending also included a purchase made at a restaurant and the purchase of fuel while Tallarico was out of state for personal reasons, investigators allege.</p><p>Moreover, agents said Tallarico approached five school district employees and had them sign a blank portion of a paper indicating their interest in making a trip to New Jersey to observe an autism program.</p><p>Investigators allege Tallarico used the signatures to forge a transaction report for the trip, which never occurred. Instead, Tallarico allegedly rented a car to take family and friends to a Penn State football game. He claimed the car rental, which was paid for with his school-issued credit card, was associated with the trip to New Jersey, investigators allege.</p><p>Tallarico also is accused of taking money from the school district&#8217;s &#8220;varsity account,&#8221; athletic fund and student activity funds.</p><p>The investigation included the results of an internal investigation that was conducted by the Mid Valley School District. The Office of Attorney General assumed jurisdiction in the case after receiving a conflict referral from the Lackawanna County district attorney&#8217;s office.</p><p>Tallarico is charged with 12 counts of forgery, four counts of unsworn falsification to authorities, two counts of misapplication of entrusted property and one count each of theft, theft by deception, receiving stolen property and official oppression. A preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled for July 29.</p><p>The case will be prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Barney Anderson of the Office of Attorney General&#8217;s Criminal Prosecutions Section.</p><style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>Times Leader</p></bylineMeta></div>

Former Lackawanna County school superintendent charged with misappropriating $11K in school funds