Hartselle woman allegedly steals more than $20K from Crestline PTO

The former treasurer of the Parent Teacher Organization at Crestline Elementary School, who was arrested Feb. 5 for theft, stands accused of stealing more than $20,000 from the organization and using the funds for personal gain.

Abby Terry Wilson, of Hartselle, was charged with theft of property in the first degree, which is a class B felony.

According to an affidavit filed in Morgan County Jan. 26, Olivia Ann Blackburn, the president of the Crestline PTO, reported the theft Dec. 15.

According to the affidavit, Blackburn stated an audit was to be done by Nov. 20 and asked Wilson if she had the file notebook with her. Wilson advised that CPA Timothy Smiley had the book and was working on it. Blackburn notified Smiley’s office, and personnel there denied having the book.

Blackburn went to Wilson’s house and confronted her about the book and some cookie dough donations, at which point Wilson reportedly broke down and stated she had a drinking problem and took some money.

Wilson then handed Blackburn the book and $10,374.25 in cookie dough money that later was discovered to be shorted by $199.40, according to the affidavit.

Blackburn stated she began to go through the book and discovered Wilson was using the PTO credit card to purchase items for her personal gain – including from Zulily, Amazon, PayPal, Hardee’s, Kroger, Dollar General, Taco Bell, Prime Video, Marathon, Old Navy, USPS and Walmart.

Some of the charges ended in overdraw fees for a total of $21,640.36.

Wilson was not an employee of Hartselle City Schools, according to Superintendent Dr. Dee Dee Jones, who previously stated the school’s Parent Teacher Organizations are privately operated by parents and funded by various fundraising events. Jones said the PTO at Crestline did have a fidelity bond and has recovered the misappropriated funds.

Wilson posted her $5,000 bond after her arrest and now awaits a preliminary trial and possible grand jury.