Clarence L. Swartz Oxford County Jail photo
OXFORD — A former Oxford Hills Christian Academy administrator is free on bail after his arrest Monday on a charge that he stole money from the school, according to officials.
Clarence L. Swartz, 49, of 60 Old Summer Road, Buckfield, was arrested at 3:36 p.m. Monday by the Oxford Police Department on a charge of theft by unauthorized taking or transfer.
He was released from the Oxford County Jail in Paris about an hour later on a $2,000 unsecured bond, a jail official said. A condition of bail is that he not return to the academy at 1160 Main St.
Police Chief Rickie Jack said Wednesday that the amount allegedly stolen is around $10,000, but detectives have not ruled out the possibility there may be more.
“We’re still sorting out the numbers … and digging into possible further issues,” Jack said.
Police said officials from the school at 1160 Main St. alerted his department about possible theft in August, about three months after Swartz resigned as administrator.
The current academy administration addressed Swartz’s arrest on its Facebook page Monday afternoon, saying it was committed to transparency and responsibility. The post said the academy is working with police on the investigation.
“We want to make it very clear that this arrest has nothing to do with (Swartz’s) interactions with children and we do not believe there is any threat to the school,” the post reads.
The academy said its board of directors, teachers and staff remain committed to their mission of providing Christian-based education to its students and are establishing “a strong financial foundation supported by robust fiscal standards, policies, and checks and balances.”
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
