INDIANA COMPUTERS STOLEN Gary Career Center teacher accused of taking computers :: Lake County :: Post-Tribune:

Gary Career Center teacher accused of taking computers

February 27, 2009

By Lori Caldwell

Post-Tribune staff writer

GARY -- A teacher at Gary's Career Center is on leave pending termination, the result of criminal charges filed last week alleging he stole computers from the school in January.

Carl Ivy Weatherspoon Jr., 24, was charged with theft last week and faces up to three years in prison if convicted, Diane Poulton, spokeswoman for Lake County Prosecutor ?Bernard Carter, said Thursday.

Gary Community School Corp. security officer Lionel Hampton learned Weatherspoon loaded computers into a pickup truck Jan. 21, the probable cause affidavit states, and obtained surveillance videotape of Weatherspoon taking the computers . When Career Center director Jerome Hurt contacted Weatherspoon, he claimed "he had a guy that was going to upgrade them," the affidavit states.

A few days later, Gary reserve officer Robert Sanders saw Weatherspoon at Electronix City, 3850 Grant St., moving computers from the business into his car. Weatherspoon admitted the computers were taken from the Career Center, court records state. The investigation revealed the school did not have a contract with Electronix City for repairs.

School district spokeswoman Sarita Stevens said Weatherspoon was placed on paid leave when the theft was discovered. He taught computer-related classes and had recently been hired full-time, she said.