Former St. Cloud school district buildings and grounds supervisor Bryan Brown was charged Friday with felony theft for using public funds for personal purchases, according to a complaint filed in Stearns County District Court.

Brown resigned April 3 after 27 years with the district. He began working for the district as a custodian in 1990. In 2011, he became the buildings and grounds supervisor.

Brown's supervisor, former executive director of business services Kevin Januszewski, resigned April 6.

READ MORE: Investigation launched after Januszewski, Brown resigned

After the resignations, the district asked St. Cloud Police Department to investigate the possible theft of public funds at the school district, according to the complaint. That investigation was launched April 7.

The investigator took a statement from Tracy Bowe, the district's executive director of human resources, who told the investigator Brown had reported to Januszewski that he had used Menards gift rebate cards for his personal use, the complaint states.

The investigator learned the school district would typically put the rebate cards in Brown's name, and he would then distribute the cards to engineers in the school district to purchase items for the district.

Bowe told the investigator she talked to Brown about using the rebate cards, and that Brown "admitted to it and stated that he made a stupid mistake and it was the dumbest thing he could ever do."

"The defendant indicated that he knew he put the district in a bad spot and he takes complete ownership of it," the complaint states.

The investigator reviewed rebate records, receipts and surveillance video, and found at a minimum, Brown used $115.46 worth of Menards rebate cards that belonged to the school district for his personal purchases between Sept. 15, 2016, and March 15.

READ MORE: Two longtime St. Cloud school leaders resign

According to the complaint, Brown purchased gift cards to "make it appear as if he was reimbursing the school district. However, (the investigator) discovered that (Brown) did not purchase three of these gift cards for the school district until March 24, 2017, which was a day after the defendant was confronted with the concerns about the missing Menards rebate cards."

Brown did not return requests from the Times for comment.

Superintendent Willie Jett said Friday the investigation and complaint were in the hands of the county attorney's office and that he can't comment on issues related to Brown's employment as that is private personnel data.

"The district has a legal obligation to report any potential financial crimes against the school district to local authorities and to the state auditor," he said.

Brown had also received a written reprimand for unsatisfactory job performance in February, according to documents from his personnel file provided to the St. Cloud Times through a Data Practices Request Act.

Those documents said "there appears to have been a longstanding practice among the (buildings, grounds and safety) employees and perhaps other employees of the (district) that it was acceptable for an employee to "borrow" (district) property and equipment for the personal use of the employee."

The report listed the most frequently borrowed items included tables, chairs, and small hand and power tools; larger equipment such as buffers, extractors, lawnmowers, trailers and a Bobcat skid steer were also reportedly used by employees.

Brown's written reprimand, dated Feb. 16, states he also put the district as risk by failing to investigate a report of unauthorized use of district equipment.

The complaint summons Brown to appear in court at an upcoming date.

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