On March 24, around 9:30 p.m., Martha Knight, 32, of 634 Grasmere Street in Winterville was arrested at that address by deputies with the Pitt County Sheriff’s Office. Knight has been charged with 71 counts of Obtaining Property by False Pretense.

An investigation began when School Resource Officer Doc Roach became suspicious of Knight’s National Guard activity.  These suspicions began during an investigation that began on 02-06-15, when SRO Roach responded to Hope Middle School concerning larceny of cash from the girls’ locker room  which occurred the night before during a basketball game.

The investigation led to Knight, an employee of the school at that time.  Even more, the SRO questioned with school officials Knight’s claims that she had been called by the National Guard to report to duty because of an emergency.  Officials explained that these emergency calls had occurred often.

With the assistance of school officials and the cooperation of the US Air Force National Guard, further research revealed that Knight had requested leave 20 times from February, 2009 to January 15, 2015 due to National Guard duties that were falsified. That leave totaled 71 days that Knight was not on duty with the National Guard and was paid for those days by the school for military leave.

Warrants were then issued for Knight’s arrest. She was taken to Pitt County Detention Center and placed under a $50,000 secured bond.

Knight was also charged on March 11 with misdemeanor larceny in the original case.

Christy Wallace

Public Information Director

Pitt County Sheriff’s Office