Former Ojai Unified School District employee will spend time behind bars

An Ojai woman accused of stealing $64,000 over a period of two years while she was employed by the Ojai Unified School District will be spending time behind bars.

A Ventura County judge sentenced 49-year-old Ladonna Fulcher to 365 days in Ventura County Jail and 60 months formal probation with search terms.

The judge also ordered Fulcher to forfeit her retirement benefits and accrued vacation time to the Ventura County Schools Self-Funding Authority.

The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office announced on Tuesday that Fulcher pled guilty to three felony counts of misappropriation of public funds.

Fulcher worked in the Business and Administrative Services Department for the Ojai Unified School District for about 10 years. But from May 2013 through June 2015, prosecutors said Fulcher authorized district checks totaling $64,000 to pay for her rent, cable, groceries, car payments and other miscellaneous things.

The Ventura County Schools Self-Funding Authority reimbursed the school district for the loss.

This conviction also brings another hefty price for Fulcher. She is disqualified from holding any public office in the state of California.