MONTICELLO, Ill. (WAND) – The former treasurer of a Monticello organization is charged with stealing from an athletic booster group.

The News-Gazette reports 47-year-old Sharilyn K. Droege is accused of stealing $5,308 from Monticello Athletic Boosters. She faces a Piatt County charge of theft between $500 and $10,000 – a Class 3 felony count.

Droege has stepped down from her position as treasurer, according to a release from the Monticello Police Department.

Monticello Athletic Boosters are a separate organization from the Monticello Community Unit School District, according to Chief John L. Carter, and school district funds were not part of the theft.

MAB says it has changed procedures for financial oversight under its new treasurer.

This isn’t the first time a person associated with a Monticello school-related organization has faced charges. The News-Gazette reports a former treasurer of the town’s Parent Teacher Organization, along with her husband, were accused of taking $5,619.19 from the group in 2015. They had to give back the money and serve 18 months of court supervision.

A joint statement between the Monticello school district and Monticello Athletic Boosters said the following: 

"We were shocked and disappointed to learn of the allegations that inappropriate banking activity has taken place and that the Treasurer of the Monticello Athletic Boosters (MAB) has resigned. The MAB has appointed a new Treasurer and implement revised procedures for financial oversight. The MAB is doing everything they can to put the necessary checks and balances in place to assure that hard-earned fundraising dollars are never vulnerable again. The Monticello Athletic Boosters is cooperating fully with the investigation being conducted by the Monticello Police Department.

While the Monticello Athletic Boosters is a separate entity from the Monticello School District and no district funds were involved in this situation, they are an integral partner in the district mission to educate the children of our community and the district is assisting them in any way that they can. The school district already has strict financial controls in place to help prevent things like this from happening, but everyone will review their procedures in light of this situation.

Because this involves an ongoing law enforcement investigation, we cannot comment further at this time."