Teacher Gets House Arrest for Identity Theft - Updated

(Broward County, Florida) In May 2010, 44-year-old former teacher at Monarch High School, Sheyla Diaz, pleaded guilty in federal court to identity theft.

Diaz admitted to stealing students' personal information from forms documenting their community service hours.

Within a five-week span in the summer of 2008, Diaz attempted to open 17 credit card accounts, many under the names of former students at Monarch High School or Plantation High School. Only three of those credit card applications were approved and she never made any purchases using the cards, according to federal prosecutors.

"Her conscience caused her to cease the activities," said her attorney Richard Della Ferra.

Diaz was remorseful in court before U.S. District Judge James I. Cohn, saying,

"My crime was egregious and I lost everything near and dear to me."

Although federal sentencing guidelines for identity theft specify up to 16 months in prison, six months of house arrest was given to Diaz. After completion of the house arrest, Diaz will serve two and one-half years of probation.

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Teacher Guilty of Identity Theft
[Previous 5/12/10 Post]
(Broward County, Florida) A 44-year-old social studies teacher formerly at Monarch High School in Coconut Creek, Sheyla Diaz, pleaded guilty last Friday in federal court to identity theft.

Diaz, who lives in Pembroke Pines and taught at Monarch High School in Coconut Creek, used her position as a teacher in June and July 2008 to obtain names, social security numbers and other personal information from at least six former students at Monarch or Plantation High School.

The U.S. Attorneys Office says using the stolen information Diaz either opened or tried to open 17 fraudulent credit card accounts.

Diaz faces a possible five years in prison when sentenced on July 23.