MONROE - A 21-year-old woman is charged with embezzling money from the Albany Sports Boosters earlier this year while she was entrusted with the club's debit card.
Sarah K. Mueller, Albany, faces a Class I felony charge of theft, filed against her last week in Green County Circuit Court. The maximum penalty for the offense is 3 1/2 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Mueller racked up almost $5,000 in unauthorized transactions between late January and late February, according to police reports filed May 17 with the criminal complaint.
Albany Sports Boosters is a volunteer-run club that raises money for scholarships and equipment upgrades for Albany High School sports. The debit card Mueller had "was only to be used for purchases for the snack bar at the school," the complaint said.
Mueller allegedly used the debit card to withdraw cash from ATMs, to buy clothes, a digital camera, a smartphone and gas and to help her boyfriend pay for a "promise ring" for herself.
The money was discovered missing and reported to police in late February. A member of the Boosters came to Talmer Bank in Albany, "upset and crying," with suspicions that Mueller was misappropriating money from the club's bank account.
Police say Mueller at first denied the allegations, then later admitted she used the card for herself. People close to her told police she only worked part-time at Burger King and they wondered how she had so much money.
The president of the Boosters said Thursday Mueller has paid back some of the money.
"She has paid some back, which is nice," Julie Pankow-Helland said. The club held an emergency meeting after the money was discovered missing, she said. With their account depleted, they had to figure out how they were going to cover this spring's scholarships and the funds already promised to coaches.
"It was a hit. Our cushion was gone," she said. The hit wasn't debilitating, however. "It didn't put us out of business. It put a dent in it."
Mueller is an Albany High School graduate and was involved in the Boosters since she graduated, according to Pankow-Helland.
"She was fine until the end," Pankow-Helland said. "In our minds, if we get the money back, that would be awesome."
State court records show no previous criminal record for Mueller. Her initial appearance on the theft charge is June 10.
The Albany Sports Boosters are trying to recover the lost money by joining the Lions Club on June 15 for the Albany stop on the 2013 "Tub Run," a fundraiser by Harley Davidson riders for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. The Boosters will be running food stands for the Harley riders when they come through town and are splitting the profits with the Lions Club.
The Boosters' next major project is to help replace the aging scoreboards in the high school gymnasium, according to athletic director Derik Doescher.
"They work hard to make sure our athletes are given the equipment they need," Doescher said.
Sarah K. Mueller, Albany, faces a Class I felony charge of theft, filed against her last week in Green County Circuit Court. The maximum penalty for the offense is 3 1/2 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Mueller racked up almost $5,000 in unauthorized transactions between late January and late February, according to police reports filed May 17 with the criminal complaint.
Albany Sports Boosters is a volunteer-run club that raises money for scholarships and equipment upgrades for Albany High School sports. The debit card Mueller had "was only to be used for purchases for the snack bar at the school," the complaint said.
Mueller allegedly used the debit card to withdraw cash from ATMs, to buy clothes, a digital camera, a smartphone and gas and to help her boyfriend pay for a "promise ring" for herself.
The money was discovered missing and reported to police in late February. A member of the Boosters came to Talmer Bank in Albany, "upset and crying," with suspicions that Mueller was misappropriating money from the club's bank account.
Police say Mueller at first denied the allegations, then later admitted she used the card for herself. People close to her told police she only worked part-time at Burger King and they wondered how she had so much money.
The president of the Boosters said Thursday Mueller has paid back some of the money.
"She has paid some back, which is nice," Julie Pankow-Helland said. The club held an emergency meeting after the money was discovered missing, she said. With their account depleted, they had to figure out how they were going to cover this spring's scholarships and the funds already promised to coaches.
"It was a hit. Our cushion was gone," she said. The hit wasn't debilitating, however. "It didn't put us out of business. It put a dent in it."
Mueller is an Albany High School graduate and was involved in the Boosters since she graduated, according to Pankow-Helland.
"She was fine until the end," Pankow-Helland said. "In our minds, if we get the money back, that would be awesome."
State court records show no previous criminal record for Mueller. Her initial appearance on the theft charge is June 10.
The Albany Sports Boosters are trying to recover the lost money by joining the Lions Club on June 15 for the Albany stop on the 2013 "Tub Run," a fundraiser by Harley Davidson riders for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. The Boosters will be running food stands for the Harley riders when they come through town and are splitting the profits with the Lions Club.
The Boosters' next major project is to help replace the aging scoreboards in the high school gymnasium, according to athletic director Derik Doescher.
"They work hard to make sure our athletes are given the equipment they need," Doescher said.