A Moreno Valley Unified School District employee accused of stealing numerous computers and other devices from his employer pleaded not guilty Tuesday to embezzlement and related charges.
Abdul Sheriff Kamara, 70, of Moreno Valley was arrested Thursday night following a Riverside County Sheriff’s Department investigation that began earlier this month.
Along with two counts of embezzlement by an employee, Kamara is charged with burglary and a sentence-enhancing white collar crime allegation.
The defendant was arraigned Tuesday before Superior Court Judge Gail O’Rane, who scheduled a felony settlement conference for June 10 at the Riverside Hall of Justice.
Kamara is being held in lieu of $250,000 bail at the Robert Presley Jail.
According to sheriff’s Sgt. Jeff Hammond, school district resource officers — deputies hired to work security for campuses — were informed in the first half of March that a series of thefts had occurred.
The investigation soon pointed to Kamara as the alleged thief, though no other details were disclosed, including his specific position within the district.
Hammond said sufficient evidence was gathered for a search warrant, which was served Thursday at the defendant’s residence in the 26000 block of Regency Way, near Eucalyptus Avenue.
“Deputies recovered stolen laptops and additional items that belonged to the school district,” the sergeant said. “The items included hundreds of different types of electronic devices and thousands of various pieces of equipment.”
It was unclear whether Kamara may have intended to sell the loot.
“The total value of the recovered items was estimated over $750,000,” Hammond said.
The defendant was taken into custody without incident. He has been placed on administrative leave from his job.
Kamara has no documented prior felony or misdemeanor convictions in Riverside County.