CHARLOTTE — A Charlotte woman has been sentenced to jail and probation for stealing money from a youth football program.
Erica Jones, 38, who served as treasurer of the Charlotte Junior Orioles Youth Football Program, pleaded guilty in November to one count of embezzlement from a nonprofit between $1,000 and $20,000 and three counts of forgery, court records indicate.
In a Jan. 15 news release, Eaton County Prosecutor Doug Lloyd said Jones “engaged in an extended pattern of intentional theft” and presented altered bank statements to the CJO’s board. She also filed a false police report in an effort to cover up her crimes, the release said.
“As part of the thefts, Jones stole at least $30,000 through the unauthorized use of a financial transaction device associated with CJO’s bank accounts, stole cash from fundraisers, and forged the signature of the organization’s president on checks written to herself and her husband,” Lloyd said.
Eaton County Circuit Judge Janice Cunningham on Jan. 15 sentenced Jones to three years’ probation with nine months in jail, court records indicate. Lloyd said Jones was ordered to pay $30,000 in restitution.
Contact Ken Palmer at kpalmer@lsj.com. Follow him on X @KBPalm_lsj
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Eaton County woman sentenced for embezzling from youth football program
Reporting by Ken Palmer, Lansing State Journal / Lansing State Journal
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