A former Minneapolis school principal who used her school district credit card to make personal charges of at least $11,000 has been sentenced to probation and time in the county workhouse, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced Friday.

After Anne De Perry, 56, former principal at Whittier International School, pleaded guilty to theft by swindle in November, her attorney and a prosecutor spent two days arguing over what her sentence should be and whether she could serve it in Arizona, where she is planning to move.

On Thursday, Hennepin County District Judge Gina Brandt sentenced De Perry to three years on probation and four days in the county workhouse in Plymouth, with credit for one day already served. In addition, she must perform 240 hours of community service.

De Perry already has paid Minneapolis Public Schools $10,000 in restitution.

Prosecutors had asked for 120 days in the workhouse.

A random audit by the school district in October 2015 turned up a charge at a hat store overseas on the school district credit card issued to De Perry.

The auditor then looked at her charges going back to December 2013 and found $11,830 that were not school-related. About a month later, De Perry resigned from her position as Whittier's principal.

STAFF REPORT