A mind is a terrible thing to waste, but one Miami cop couldn't have been using her brain when she decided to steal money to fund her son's private school education.
Vernell Reynolds has been charged with fraud and three counts of grand theft after she lied to get thousands of dollars from the "Step Up for Students" scholarship fund, officials said Tuesday.
Reynolds' sister, Vanessa Williams, was also arrested for her part in the scheme.
News of the arrest adds to the Miami Police Department's growing reputation of a corrupt unit. And Reynolds was no rank and file officer.
The 17-year veteran was the president of the Miami Community Police Benevolent Association in 2010.
Prosecutors claim Reynolds robbed from the poor to fund her son's education.
The "Step Up for Students" scholarship is a statewide initiative designed to help low-income students get the financial aid they need to afford a quality education.
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Details on how Reynolds actually managed to illegally obtain the funds have not been released.
