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Nathan'ette
Burdine's
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The
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Monday, October 08, 2012
Education
Published August 29, 2012
“A Kindergarten Teacher burglarizes
home for the third time”
by
Nathan’ette Burdine-Follow
on Twitter@nbnylemagazine
When thinking about a kindergarten teacher,
the first thought that generally comes to mind is a decent upstanding
citizen who reads stories to five and six year olds before their afternoon
nap. The first thought is not
one of a person who goes on a stealing spree, during after school hours,
and a potential heroin binge. But
in the case of Reina Herrera, the thought would not be considered out of
the norm. According to the Miami
Herald’s Esteban Illades article, “Miami-Dade Kindergarten teacher
charged in house burglary,” Herrera is a Kindergarten teacher who’s
been arrested for burglarizing a home and possessing heroin.
Herrera has been a teacher for seven years at Earlington Heights
Elementary School in Miami, FL. However,
this is not the first time that Herrera’s “extracurricular” criminal
activities have placed her before a judge. According to the records on Miami-Dade County Clerk of Courts
website, the felony charge of burglarizing an unoccupied dwelling was
filed on December 7, 2010, against Herrera.
She escaped jail time because she received court-supervised
treatment. But, it doesn’t
appear as if she will receive the same lenient treatment as she did
before.
Illades
stated that based on the information within the arrest affidavit Herrera
confessed to breaking into the same house on May 10 and 17 of 2012.
She allegedly stole a total amount of $6,000 in cash and personal
belongings. According to
Illades, Herrera stole $3500 from the home during the first-break-in.
And during the second break-in, she stole an engagement ring worth
$1000, a pearl necklace valued at $500, and $1000 in cash.
After the police apprehended Herrera, the police found a heroin
cooking kit in her car. The
heroin cooking kit included the ingredients of three bags of heroin, a
spoon, needle, and tourniquet. Along
with the heroin cooking supplies, Illades stated that the police found
three checks worth approximately $600.00.
The checks were reported stolen on July 6, 2012.
The police confiscated the stolen checks, the heroin, and the
heroin cooking supplies.
According
to the court records, charges were filed against Herrera on July 18, 2012.
She was charged with felony burglary, theft, and drug possession.
Herrera was also charged with misdemeanor criminal mischief and
possession of drug paraphernalia. Illades
noted that Herrera's bail was set at $23,000.
The court records show that Herrera
will have a court hearing on October 31, 2012, and Judge Ariana Fajardo
will be presiding over the case. Herrera’s attorney is
Christopher
Brochyus.
Along with the judiciary system, Herrera is facing possible strict
disciplinary action from the Miami-Dade County School Board.
And according to Illades, the school board has begun an
investigation into Herrera’s “extracurricular” activities.
Email-nathanette.burdine@thenylemagazine.com
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