The Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office has made an arrest after conducting an investigation into internal thefts at the Monticello High School.

On March 18, 2013, School Administrators reported cash missing from the guidance office. The money, which is paid by students for their caps and gowns at graduation, was kept in a locked closet. Sheriff Mike Schiff says that as part of the investigation, his deputies installed a hidden camera in the closet. It wasn’t long before the perpetrator was identified.

On Friday March 22, 2013, Deputies arrested James E. Wilson, 57, of Monticello. Wilson, who has been employed as a custodian with the school district since 1987, used a master key to gain access to the closet where the money was located.

Wilson admitted to the theft of the cash as well as other items in the school. He was charged with six counts of petit larceny and possession of burglar tools. Wilson, who was immediately suspended from his job, was released on his own recognizance pending a future court appearance.