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DETROIT: Former soccer coach sentenced in embezzlement case
Friday, March 20, 2009 8:42 PM EDT
By Francesca Chilargi
DETROIT — A former coach accused of embezzling from a soccer booster club pleaded no contest to felony larceny by false pretenses last month in Wayne County Circuit Court.
On Monday, Judge Debra Thomas sentenced John James Carr, 37, of Allen Park to three years probation, four months of psychiatric evaluation and mental health screening.
Carr also was ordered to pay court costs and $10,418 in restitution to the Michigan Rush Downriver Soccer Club.
A felony charge of embezzlement by an agent of more than $1,000 but less than $20,000 was dropped.
The judge also prohibited Carr from holding any job where he has access or control of individuals’ money.
Carr was charged with pocketing money people gave him for the Michigan Rush Soccer Downriver chapter in Brownstown Township.
Altogether, Carr embezzled more than $16,000, authorities said.
Lori Salliotte of Brownstown Township, treasurer of the Rush soccer club, alerted authorities about Carr embezzling the money. She said he used false credentials to get jobs at the club and at Trenton High School.
Salliotte said Carr fabricated playing for a professional soccer team in Ireland, his coaching history and college education.
Carr was hired to coach the boys’ and girls’ soccer teams in the fall of 2006 and he became director of the club in November 2006.
In January 2008, the Rush board members started being suspicious of Carr when the club changed treasurers and an audit was performed, Salliotte said. At that time, questions surfaced about why there were no receipts for reimbursements to Carr.
She said his entire resume was false. Rush board members confirmed that he didn’t graduate from the school he listed on his resume nor did he play for Derry, a professional soccer team in Ireland.
“He claimed to have played for Derry, and board members searched to figure out what was true and was wasn’t true,” Salliotte said.
Rush members filed a police complaint in July and Carr was arrested by Woodhaven police in August.
Carr also was head coach of the Trenton High School boys’ soccer team for two years and head coach for the girls’ team for a year.
School Supt. John Savel previously had said that the incident is not related to Trenton Public Schools, and Carr stopped coaching at the high school last spring.
Salliotte said Carr diverted money from Rush to cover soccer events for the Trenton High School soccer team. She said the two teams are separate. She also said Carr used the money for personal gain.
According to Salliotte, the Michigan State Youth Soccer Association suspended his risk management clearance, “barring him from participating in any capacity in any MSYSA sanctioned youth soccer activity.”
The soccer association declined to comment.
URL: http://www.thenewsherald.com/article...7478069228.prt
© 2009 thenewsherald.com, a Journal Register Property
News
DETROIT: Former soccer coach sentenced in embezzlement case
Friday, March 20, 2009 8:42 PM EDT
By Francesca Chilargi
DETROIT — A former coach accused of embezzling from a soccer booster club pleaded no contest to felony larceny by false pretenses last month in Wayne County Circuit Court.
On Monday, Judge Debra Thomas sentenced John James Carr, 37, of Allen Park to three years probation, four months of psychiatric evaluation and mental health screening.
Carr also was ordered to pay court costs and $10,418 in restitution to the Michigan Rush Downriver Soccer Club.
A felony charge of embezzlement by an agent of more than $1,000 but less than $20,000 was dropped.
The judge also prohibited Carr from holding any job where he has access or control of individuals’ money.
Carr was charged with pocketing money people gave him for the Michigan Rush Soccer Downriver chapter in Brownstown Township.
Altogether, Carr embezzled more than $16,000, authorities said.
Lori Salliotte of Brownstown Township, treasurer of the Rush soccer club, alerted authorities about Carr embezzling the money. She said he used false credentials to get jobs at the club and at Trenton High School.
Salliotte said Carr fabricated playing for a professional soccer team in Ireland, his coaching history and college education.
Carr was hired to coach the boys’ and girls’ soccer teams in the fall of 2006 and he became director of the club in November 2006.
In January 2008, the Rush board members started being suspicious of Carr when the club changed treasurers and an audit was performed, Salliotte said. At that time, questions surfaced about why there were no receipts for reimbursements to Carr.
She said his entire resume was false. Rush board members confirmed that he didn’t graduate from the school he listed on his resume nor did he play for Derry, a professional soccer team in Ireland.
“He claimed to have played for Derry, and board members searched to figure out what was true and was wasn’t true,” Salliotte said.
Rush members filed a police complaint in July and Carr was arrested by Woodhaven police in August.
Carr also was head coach of the Trenton High School boys’ soccer team for two years and head coach for the girls’ team for a year.
School Supt. John Savel previously had said that the incident is not related to Trenton Public Schools, and Carr stopped coaching at the high school last spring.
Salliotte said Carr diverted money from Rush to cover soccer events for the Trenton High School soccer team. She said the two teams are separate. She also said Carr used the money for personal gain.
According to Salliotte, the Michigan State Youth Soccer Association suspended his risk management clearance, “barring him from participating in any capacity in any MSYSA sanctioned youth soccer activity.”
The soccer association declined to comment.
URL: http://www.thenewsherald.com/article...7478069228.prt
© 2009 thenewsherald.com, a Journal Register Property