Worcester County, MD – Former Assistant Superintendent Denise Shorts was sentenced Wednesday to five years in prison after pleading guilty to stealing more than $118,000 from Worcester County Public Schools.
Shorts appeared in Worcester County Circuit Court, where she pleaded guilty to theft scheme of $100,000 or more. She had been facing three charges related to the theft.
Before sentencing, Worcester County Public Schools stated that it had received full restitution totaling $118,741.89. However, it remains unclear who actually paid the restitution or how the full amount was recovered.
Judge S. James Sarbanes imposed a 10-year sentence, suspending all but five years. Shorts will also be required to serve three years of supervised probation following her release from prison.
Shorts was immediately remanded into custody after Wednesday’s sentencing and will begin serving her five-year prison term.
A sweet deal: Despite the charges brought before her sentencing, Shorts made a deal to “gracefully” retire and keep her state pension, contracted benefits, and health insurance, which the county taxpayers are on the hook for the rest of her life.
Also, Shorts was paid while on administrative leave beginning December 13, 2025, after the search warrant was executed at her office. She remained an employee until she submitted her intent to leave on March 26, 2026.
Her listed salary as of July 1, 2025 was $178,212. So we’re looking at approximately December 13, 2025 through March 26, 2026 (about 3½ months). At $178,212 annually, her base salary works out to roughly $14,851 per month or $52,000 during this period.
