By admin 
TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – A former Walden Grove High employee has been indicted for allegedly stealing cheer funds at the school.
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Denise Montano, also known as Denise Cook, was the head cheer coach and registrar at the school.
From August 2023 to December 2023, she allegedly took more than $12,000 and moved it to her personal bank account. She allegedly spent more than $7,700 of that money on personal expenses and forged documents to hide the theft.
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In August 2026, a state grand jury indicted her on four felony counts related to theft, fraud, and forgery.
In November 2023, the Sahuarita Unified School District confirmed Montano stepped down as the head cheer coach on Nov. 27 and resigned as registrar on Dec. 11.
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According to the SUSD, parents had reported concerns about how the money was handled.
“The basic weight of the evidence suggested some basic things, which is that the proper procedure and accounting for money may not have been followed,” said district superintendent Dr. Manuel Valenzuela. “What we determined is that there was sufficient evidence to report it to the proper authorities.”
The SUSD said it reported the issue to the Arizona Auditor General on Dec. 6, 2023.
“When something like this happens, which I believe I can factually describe as an isolated incident, because of our efforts things generally run very smoothly,” Valenzuela said. “But when it does happen, I think the important thing is to acknowledge it, to confront it, and take reasonable, prudent actions to address it.”
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