HCPSS Assistant Principal Pleads Guilty to Stealing Credit Cards

A Howard County Public High School assistant principal pleaded guilty to charges that she stole colleagues’ credit cards to go on shopping sprees. 

Patricia Kelly Murray, 40, of Severna Park, admitted in March to stealing the cards from colleagues and using one of them to buy Christmas gifts for her family. She is currently on adminstrative leave, according to  T. Wayne Kirwan, director of Community Justice and Public information at the Howard County State’s Attorney’s office.

According to Kirwan, during Monday’s plea hearing, Assistant State’s Attorney Devora Pontell said the victims of Murray’s actions were a vice principal at Long Reach High School and a principal at Laurel Woods Elementary School.

In the first instance, according to Kirwan, Pontell said that on Dec. 15 of last year, Murray made eight purchases worth nearly $1,800 at four Montgomery Mall stores using a credit card stolen from the Long Reach vice principal.

Pontell said that video from Macy’s and Nordstrom would have been entered into evidence had Murray’s case gone to trial.

Pontell said that in the second case, Murray used a Bank of America card, stolen from the Laurel Woods principal, to “obtain gifts and presents for her family,” according to Kirwan.

Murray pleaded guilty Monday to use of a stolen credit card to purchase goods/services in excess of $500; identity fraud; and theft under $1,000 for the two cases.

A third case, in which , is inactive but may be brought back to trial at a later date.

Murray’s sentencing has been set for Aug. 16. According to Kirwan, the state will ask for Murray to be sentenced to up to one year in jail and five years of probation, as well as ask that she be required to pay restitution to the victims.