A former human resources employee at a Yuma-area school district has pleaded guilty to felony charges after prosecutors say she spent nearly a year siphoning close to $86,000 in taxpayer money intended for public education.
Mercedes Brena worked as an HR specialist for the Yuma Elementary School District and, according to the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, used her position to run a quiet but sustained financial scheme between late 2021 and the fall of 2022. Investigators say she intercepted money orders destined for the district, falsified time records submitted to an outside payroll processor, and used district-issued credit cards to purchase personal gift cards — a classic method of converting institutional funds into untraceable spending.
Brena entered guilty pleas on two felony counts: misuse of public monies and possession of a forgery device. Her sentencing is scheduled for April 15th, and as part of her plea agreement she is required to repay a minimum of just under $86,000 in restitution.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, whose office prosecuted the case, framed the outcome in pointed terms — calling the theft a direct harm to children and families who depend on public schools. Mayes said her office remains committed to pursuing accountability whenever public education dollars are diverted for personal gain.
For the Yuma Elementary School District, the case is a reminder of the vulnerabilities that can exist when internal financial oversight is limited — and of the slow but eventual reach of state prosecutors when those systems are exploited.
