Ex-treasurer of school PTO is arrested

Sarah Muench and Colleen Sparks The Arizona Republic May. 2, 2006 12:00 AM

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS - A former Kyrene de los Lagos elementary school PTO treasurer who is suspected of stealing stole money over the past two years has been arrested. She told police she tried to win money gambling to repay the PTO.

Tracey Frey, 41, was arrested Friday on a theft charge. She was released Saturday.

Frey admitted taking money from the Ahwatukee Foothills school's parent-teacher organization for personal use but said she planned to repay it, according to a police report.

She was indicted by a grand jury Thursday.

The grand jury believed she took more than $25,000 worth of PTO funds for personal use.

Frey said on the phone Monday that she couldn't talk about the case. Her next expected court appearance is an arraignment Friday .

According to police reports, Frey said she had used the PTO money to make repairs on her car and to help her daughter, who lives out of state and was involved in an accident.

Frey, who was working for Casino Arizona as a blackjack floor supervisor, told police she tried to win money gambling as a way to pay back the PTO.

She admitted to police that she had a gambling problem.

The Kyrene Elementary School District's insurance company has since said it will reimburse the PTO the nearly $28,000 reported missing.

Earlier, fund-raisers were held to help pay for PTO activities.

About $6,460 had been collected and donated.