Seems as if this is a trend today:
http://www.statesman.com/news/local/former-anderson-high-football-coach-charged-with-theft-1906346.htmlA former Anderson High School football coach who resigned in May stole thousands of dollars meant for the school's athletic program, according to an arrest affidavit filed Monday .
Mark Reiland was placed on administrative leave by the district in April and stepped down shortly thereafter. He has not returned calls for comment since.
At the time, officials were unclear about the reasons for the departure of the 40-year-old coach who led the Northwest Austin school to its most successful season since opening in 1973 and to its first postseason win last year.
"We were stunned (in the spring) when we learned there might have been some improprieties (concerning Reiland). It's something we never expected," Principal Donna Houser said Monday. "I like Mark personally, ... and I hate it for (the family), but we can't tolerate any kind of financial problems."
Police think Reiland was using the money, at least $6,500, to fuel a gambling addiction, of which school officials said they were aware, the affidavit said.
The charge — theft by a public servant, a third-degree felony — comes after a months-long investigation that began in April when a parent told the school that Reiland was trying to cash a check the parent wrote out to the school for her son to attend a strength and conditioning camp put on by the school, the affidavit said.
Between February 2007 and April 2011, Reiland cashed checks written out to the school, but he also requested donors to write checks meant for the athletic program to him personally, the affidavit said.
A pawn shop's records showed that Reiland had pawned his wedding ring as well as school property such as computers and projectors, the document said.
A former co-worker of Reiland's at Anderson told police that Reiland pocketed money from concession sales and football camp registration fees, it said.
An Austin Independent School District auditor told police that $6,500 was missing from various Anderson athletic accounts, but Reiland could have stolen much more by keeping many payments off the books, the affidavit said.
Reiland, whose first name is spelled "Marcus" in the affidavit, was not in custody Monday. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison.
"He is a good person who has suffered through bad things," school district Athletic Director Tommy Cox said. "I'm not going to condone what happened, but he's not a bad guy."
fmashhood@statesman.com;445-3972
Additional material from staff writer Rick Cantu.
