WINFIELD - The principal of Poca High School has been suspended without pay after he was charged with two counts of computer fraud in September.
Principal Bradley Knell was arrested Sept. 15 after an investigation found he allegedly used a debit card linked to the school basketball boosters group for personal purchases on at least two occasions.
The Putnam County Board of Education entered executive session for more than two hours Wednesday, and voted to suspend Knell without pay retroactive to Sept. 15 until the criminal charges against him have been resolved or until another recommendation is brought by the superintendent.
Board member Bruce Knell recused himself from the executive session meeting and from voting.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Putnam County Magistrate Court, Poca High School student resource officer Michael Woodford obtained bank account transaction history for the debit card and contacted two businesses where recent transactions were made. Woodford had been advised earlier that week that Knell was suspected of making personal purchases on the debit card linked to the private account for the basketball team boosters.
Woodford then received video surveillance from Sept. 5 showing Knell pull into the Rock Branch Sheetz and pump gas into his personal truck.
The complaint said Knell bought $77 of gas with the debit card, according to the account history.
On Sept. 1, video surveillance shows Knell making a $8.67 purchase at Go-Mart across from Poca High School with the debit card.
Woodford identified Knell from the surveillance videos on both occasions, the complaint said.
Woodford spoke to Becky Frampton, the owner of the account, who gave verbal and written statements to officers that she never gave Knell access to the account, the complaint said.