A woman who was the finance chief at a Menlo Park seminary for six years could face up to a year in county jail for embezzlement.

Jennifer Margret Morris, 60, of Hayward, was accused in 2013 of stealing more than $200,000 and a luxury car from St. Patricks Seminary amp; University between 2006 and 2012 when she was finance director there. She pleaded no contest to three counts of felony embezzlement in June 2014, and remains out of custody on a $200,000 bond.

The crime stemmed from Morris practice of using a personal credit card to make seminary purchases instead of one issued by St. Patricks, then reimbursing herself with seminary money. She said she chose this route so she could collect airline miles on her personal card.

Morris made $166,000 in unauthorized purchases over six years, and overpaid herself at least $36,000 between 2011 and 2012. She was also accused of stealing a 1982 Mercedes-Benz that had been donated to the seminary by registering the car in her name and charging registration costs and maintenance to St. Patricks. Additionally, she was charged with making unauthorized severance payments to her secretary, Evelyn D. Vallacqua, 46, who allegedly assisted Morris in issuing many of the reimbursement checks. Vallacqua, who pleaded no contest to one felony county of embezzlement, faces up to 90 days of jail and is out on $10,000 bond.

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