The former principal of Hayfield Secondary School is accused of spending nearly $8,000 in school funds for personal expenses and has been charged with felony embezzlement, Fairfax County Police said yesterday (Sept. 30).
Darin Thompson, 51, of Lorton, turned himself in to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center yesterday after police obtained a warrant for his arrest. He was released on a $3,000 unsecured bond.
Thompson has been under investigation by police since April 21, after the Fairfax County Public Schools Office of Auditor General contacted authorities “regarding an employee’s alleged fraudulent use of school-issued payment cards,” police said in a release. “The investigation involved unauthorized expenses related to personal travel and attendance at events unrelated to the employee’s official duties.”
Thompson has been employed with FCPS since July 2023. According to The Harvester News, Hayfield’s student publication, Thompson left the school in September 2025 to work as a senior administrator of nontraditional public school programs at FCPS.
Police said Thompson was placed on administrative leave after FCPS initiated its investigation. Following the arrest, he was suspended. Detectives are asking anyone with information to call the Financial Crimes Unit: (703) 246-3533.
Earlier this summer, a finance technician at Hayfield Secondary School was also accused of embezzling over $40,000 from the school. Stephanie Gale, a 45-year-old Lorton resident, was charged with embezzlement and computer fraud. According to court records, she is scheduled to appear in Fairfax County General District Court Nov. 4 for a preliminary hearing.
FCPD told FFXnow that detectives found information during Gale’s investigation that led them to investigate Thompson.
“At this time, there is no known connection between the two cases beyond the fact that the two individuals worked together,” FCPD said.
