After it was revealed that he had a felony conviction for theft, a man who was paid $250 per hour to assist the media staff of the St. Helens School District in resolving its ongoing problem resigned from his position.
Thomas DeLapp’s contracting agency, the Northwest Regional Education District, admitted that it never ran a background check on DeLapp. The education district spokesperson, Kelsey Soltysiak, stated that it only runs background checks on its consultants or contractors who have direct contact with children.
In the wake of the arrests of two high school teachers on sexual abuse charges last month and the arrest of the high school principal two weeks later for allegedly failing to report sexual abuse complaints involving the teachers, DeLapp, 73, addressed reporters during a video news conference last week to reveal the identity of an independent investigator assigned to examine the St. Helens School District’s mandatory reporting policies and training.
After working in school communications for almost 50 years, DeLapp introduced himself as a new communications assistant hired to aid the district in resolving its crisis.
DeLapp resigned by Monday afternoon, stating in an email to the Northwest Regional Education Service District and the acting superintendent of St. Helens that his personal transgression of financial mismanagement in his local school foundation had become a regrettable distraction.
According to DeLapp’s email, my ongoing presence will generate excessively bad press and undermine the legitimacy of your initiatives to enhance the school district’s standing and confidence.
A public records request revealed that DeLapp had a contract with the regional education system that paid him $250 per hour from November 15 to June 30, 2025.
Given the overwhelmingly positive comments the district was receiving from the community regarding the lack of information and openness, we had anticipated that his experience would assist St. Helens School District in taking its first steps toward restorative and remedial action, Soltysiak stated via email. Rather, his involvement undermines the district’s credibility and serves as a diversion.
In February, DeLapp was charged with embezzlement in Placer County Superior Court in Roseville, California, on charges of embezzling $52,000 from the Rocklin Educational Excellence Foundation, of which he is a founding chairperson. The Rocklin Unified School District’s local schools are supported by the foundation.
According to court records, he entered a no contest plea to the crime in July and received a two-year probationary sentence.
DeLapp, who was contacted Wednesday afternoon, stated that he is making efforts to reimburse the $52,000 in unpaid reparations. Other than acknowledging that he was sentenced after entering a plea, he refused to talk about the embezzlement.
He claimed that because he had experience handling similar circumstances, the Northwest Regional Education District contacted him on behalf of the St. Helens School District.
Prior to a community member alerting the school district this week after it went viral on social media, DeLapp had not revealed his felony past to the Oregon regional education district.
— Maxine Bernstein writes about criminal justice and federal courts. She may be reached at 503-221-8212, [email protected], and can be followed on Bluesky at maxbernstein.bsky.social and [email protected] LinkedIn.
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