Landers to pay over $12,000 to Milan Youth Soccer
Wanda English Burnett - Editor

Julie Landers, Aurora, has been ordered to pay over $12,000 in restitution fees to the Milan Youth Soccer organization.

After admitting she was guilty of taking the money from the Milan organization, on August 3, a sentencing hearing was set for August 22, in Ripley County Superior Court. She was charged with four counts of Theft for stealing funds from the Milan Youth Soccer League over a three-year period.

Landers was sentenced to a six year suspended sentence with 90 days home detention. She was ordered to do community service, pay $4,000 immediately and make monthly payments to the organization. Any violation of this agreement could result in her sentence being revoked and she could serve time in prison. Landers paid the $4,000, and now has a balance of $8,077.58 to pay.

Sports leagues are encouraged by Prosecutor Ric Hertel to employ safety measures to avoid this type of thing happening to their organization. "Checks and balances of bank records, financial statements, and checkbooks would help deter would-be thieves. Requiring a second signature for large checks is also recommended. Insuring or bonding financial officers would be an additional method to protect monies paid to the eague," Hertel noted.

In October of 2003, an investigation began after board members from the Milan Youth Soccer League contacted Milan's Police Chief Tom Holt. They were concerned with discrepancies in bank balances and available funds. Landers was the treasurer at the time.

Chief Holt, along with Prosecutor Hertel made the decision to employ an accounting firm to audit the organization's records for the time period in question. A number of subpoenas were delivered to Fifth Third Bank, US Bank, and Sam's Club for their records. The results of that audit saw Prosecutor Hertel filing four Class D Felony charges of Theft against Landers alleging she had stolen more than $12,000 from the Milan Youth Soccer League while she was treasurer.