A Guthrie Upper Elementary School sixth-grade reading teacher was taken into custody on a bench warrant out of Oklahoma County.
Shanda Jean Hensel was arrested and booked into the Logan County Jail just before midnight on Saturday. According to jail records, the 44-year-old was held at the Logan County facility as of late Tuesday morning before being transferred to Oklahoma County custody.
Court records show that Hensel pleaded guilty to three counts of embezzlement on May 3, 2023. She received a deferred sentence until May 2030 and was ordered to pay $45,470 in restitution, along with other court costs.
The case dates back to August 2021, when KFOR-TV reported that Hensel, then a bank employee, was accused of draining an elderly woman’s bank account over two years. Court documents stated that Hensel developed a friendship with the victim, who only dealt with her at the bank and was given a direct line for contact.
When the woman inquired about missing bank statements, Hensel allegedly told her that COVID-19 delays were the cause. The woman later contacted the bank while Hensel was on vacation and learned from another employee that she had only $84,000 remaining in her account, significantly less than she expected ($134,000).
The television station reported that the Oklahoma City bank returned the missing money to the victim.
Hensel completed 18 months of probation supervision but violated the terms of her deferred sentence by failing to make regular restitution payments.
At sentencing, Hensel initially paid $2,000 and was ordered to pay $517 per month. However, court records show she has made only five payments, with the last recorded payment of $49 on August 2, 2024.
In a violation report, Hensel reportedly claimed she did not “steal any money” and was uncertain why she was on probation.
Guthrie Public Schools has not commented on the situation.
Hensel’s staff photo and email remained on the school district’s website as of Tuesday afternoon.
Be the first to comment on "Guthrie teacher arrested for bench warrant related to embezzlement case"