Former Director of Snow Hill Museum Sentenced to 10 Years After Stealing $97K
WORCESTER COUNTY, Md. – The former Executive Director of the Julia A. Purnell Museum has been ordered to pay restitution and sentenced to 10 years in prison, with all but 18 months suspended, after pleading guilty earlier this year.
On Friday, Nov. 21, 53-year-old Cynthia Byrd was sentenced following her conviction of a theft scheme on Aug. 4. Upon release, Bryd will be on five years of supervised probation and was ordered to pay restitution to the Town of Snow Hill in the amount of $97,316.87.
The charges stem from an investigation that began in November of last year, when members of the Purnell Museum’s Board of Directors became suspicious of purchases made by Dr. Cynthia Byrd. Byrd had served as the Executive Director from 2015 through 2024.
Detectives with the Worcester County Criminal Bureau of Investigation spent months compiling and reviewing detailed financial records, and received critical assistance from the Board of Directors. They found that in 2017, without the Board of Directors’ knowledge, Byrd opened an unauthorized credit card in the museum’s name. From 2017 through 2024, Byrd charged 1,781 fraudulent purchases to that credit card, totaling $97,316.87 in unauthorized spending.
Worcester County State’s Attorney Kris Heiser commended the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office and Detective Corporal Gardner, who led the investigation. She also thanked Assistant State’s Attorney Zachary Reid, who prosecuted the case.
