DePauw student to be sentenced for theft

A DePauw student has pled guilty to one count of misdemeanor theft and one count of misdemeanor fraud in connection to an incident in which she stole a sorority sister's credit card and ran up more than $1,000 in charges.

Brittany E. Schmall, 22, of Portage, Mich. was originally charged with one count of Class D felony theft and nine counts of Class D felony fraud. On March 10, Putnam County Circuit Court Judge Matthew Headley agreed to consolidate the fraud charges into one charge, and earlier this week he accepted Schmall's guilty pleas to the charges as Class A misdemeanors, each punishable by up to a year in jail.

No sentencing date has been set.

According to court documents, Schmall made several unauthorized purchases using a credit card that belonged to another woman who lived at the Alpha Chi Omega sorority house with Schmall.

Court documents said several of Schmall's sorority sisters were interviewed and told authorities that Schmall had a history of stealing in the sorority house.

Court documents also said Schmall was undergoing treatment for depression.

To date, Schmall has spent no time in jail. A warrant for her arrest was issued on Sept. 25, 2007, and she had her initial hearing on Nov. 24, 2008. She entered not guilty pleas to all the charges and was released on her own recognizance.