Stewartville Woman Charged for Rochester School Fundraising Check Fraud

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- A Stewartville woman is facing charges for an alleged theft from a Rochester school’s Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA). 

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The court document, filed earlier this month in Olmsted County Court, says she worked at the school. 

Rochester police began investigating the case this past June when officers were called to the Culver’s restaurant in northwest Rochester for an incident involving check fraud.  

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Stewartville Woman Accused of Stealing Over $2,500 in Check Fraud Case Involving Dakota Middle Schools PTSA

36-year-old Sarah Schneckloth is charged with one count of felony theft and a count of gross misdemeanor theft. The complaint says the north Culver’s restaurant had written a $576.98 check to donate to the Dakota Middle School PTSA in February. 

Police were told the organization never received the check and later learned it was deposited in another person’s account on February 20. 

Investigators then took a different report regarding a different check from Culvers, also written out to the Dakota Middle School PTSA, had been fraudulently deposited into another person’s account. 

The check, which was written out for $615.63, was deposited in November of 2023. 

Police then reviewed Schneckloth's account statement and found the $576.98 check from Culver’s had been deposited into her account on February 19, according to the complaint. 

Schneckloth's bank statements also showed a $1133.02 check from the Dakota Middle School PTSA was deposited in her account in April of this year, the charges say. 

Investigators found the 2023 check from Culver’s had been deposited in a different account that Schneckloth had access to. The complaint also alleges Schneckloth deposited a $189.80 check from Boxtops for Education into an account she had access to in May of this year. 

All four of the allegedly fraudulent deposits totaled $2515.43, the complaint says. 

After initially denying the check fraud, Schneckloth  admitted to depositing the checks, telling investigators she was under financial stress and that she used the money to pay rent, according to the complaint. 

The complaint does not say what her role at Dakota Middle School was. 

Schneckloth is being charged by summons. Her first court appearance is next year.