A Bremerton school counselor has been charged with stealing your tax money after KIRO Team 7 Investigators catch him profiting from a fake doctorate.

Teachers automatically get extra pay if they have an advanced college degree. Over the past two years, KIRO Team 7 Investigators have exposed more than a dozen educators who turned in either a masters or a doctorate of questionable character.

Now, the Kitsap County Prosecutor's Office wants to put one of our featured teachers in prison.

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Middle school teacher and counselor Lawrence Brown isn't really a doctor of anything, but told the Bremerton School District otherwise. KIRO Team 7 Investigators discovered Brown's doctorate was from a well-known illegal diploma factory, LaSalle University of Louisiana. In 2004, we asked him about that.

Brown: "That's right. It's out of business."
Halsne: "It's a paper mill. Not legitimate. We're doing a story about step-pay increases and how you can increase your profits."
Brown: "You know what? I've got to go. Talk to me another time. I'm totally open to that."

Now, two years later, we're still waiting for that explanation.

Halsne: "We want to talk to you about this."
Teacher: "Sure." (Slams car door and drives away.)

Brown blew us off, but didn't have the same luck with the Bremerton Police Department and Kitsap County Prosecutor's Office.

Assistant Kitsap Co Prosecutor, Chris Casad says, “We have filed a charge of theft in the first degree base on the allegation that he took money from the Bremerton School District that he was not entitled to.”

Charging documents say Brown used his illegitimate degree to get overpaid more than $65,000.

After our original investigation aired on TV, the Bremerton School District asked Brown to verify his beefed-up resume, but according to newly filed court records, Brown told them "all his paperwork had been burned in a fire."

Taxpayers and parents we talked with were clear on what they wanted the district to do with Lawrence Brown.

“That's not good.”, Jordon Potter told KIRO Team 7 Investigators. “That's basically lying and cheating."

Mike Konecny agrees, adding “I think they ought to fire him.”

But we asked -- and the Bremerton School district confirms -- Brown is still employed, still counseling at the Mountain View Middle School. Prosecutors say that's a slap in the face to teachers with real advanced degrees.

Casad says “There is a lot of time and money expended in getting a legitimate degree. When you get a legitimate degree, you get more pay as a teacher, but you've worked for it.

Lawrence Brown's attorney had this to say about the case:

"It's going nowhere. If it goes to trial, that’s a waste of tax money. "

If the Kitsap County prosecutors officer prevails, a first-degree theft conviction carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

There is a new law on the books that makes it illegal for educators to profit from a fake degree, but it took effect after we exposed Brown’s actions.