Arrest made in Hartselle Dixie Youth Baseball case
A former Hartselle Dixie Youth Baseball board member has been indicted by a Morgan County Grand Jury after money was reported missing earlier this year.
Amy Balch, 36, of Hartselle was arrested Tuesday afternoon and was charged with theft of property in the first degree. She was released from the Morgan County Jail on a $5,000 bond.
Morgan County District Attorney Scott Anderson said the charges stem from an lengthy investigation following the report of missing funds.
“The indictment reads that she misappropriated in excess of $2,500,” Anderson said. “We’re still working to determine an accurate figure of how much was missing.”
Anderson said the next step in the case will be an arraignment, which will be set at a later day by the Morgan County Circuit Clerk’s office.
The grand jury handed down the indictment during the September session last month. The Hartselle Police Department began its investigation into the finances of Hartselle Dixie Youth Baseball in March.
Tony Boster, who was president of Hartselle Dixie Youth Baseball until elections were held Sept. 21, said previously that they turned three to five years of bank records to authorities.
The issues were discovered during the new board transition after members wanted to see financial reports including concession sales. A former board member resigned at a March 9 meeting.
According to financial statements obtained recently by the Hartselle Enquirer, the concession stand account began the year with -$518.78 while the baseball account had just $913.03 not counting $1,776.95 in unpaid bills.
Those balance recovered to $14,644.29 in the baseball account and $14,373.11 in concessions by the end of the 2013-2014 fiscal year.