Alleged theft by treasurer is ‘heart-wrenching’ for metro-east softball organization
A Glen Carbon-based girls softball organization is reeling from news that its treasurer allegedly stole more than $64,000.
“It’s heart-wrenching when you spend all that time and energy and something like this happens,” said Scott Griffith, a coach and past president of Esprit Metro Fastpitch Softball. “You expect better of people.”
Griffith said he couldn’t say more because of pending litigation, and he referred questions about the organization to its current leader, who didn’t respond to a request for comment.
Attempts to reach other coaches also were unsuccessful.
Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine last week charged Heather S. Sullivan, 37, of Roodhouse, with two counts of felony theft (Class 2) of more than $10,000 and less than $100,000.
Roodhouse is in Green County, about 60 miles northwest of Edwardsville.
“(Sullivan) knowingly obtained unauthorized control over property of Esprit Metro Fastpitch, being U.S. currency in the amount of approximately $64,204.22,” according to the charging document.
The theft is alleged to have occurred between Aug. 1, 2021, and March 7, 2022.
Associate Judge Janet Heflin set Sullivan’s bond at $80,000. Sullivan was supposed to surrender to authorities on Friday, according to the state’s attorney’s office. She hadn’t been booked at the Madison County Jail by late afternoon.
Glen Carbon Police Department is the investigating agency.
“(The softball organization has) a P.O. box in Glen Carbon, so it’s in our jurisdiction,” said Coleen Schaller, public safety administrative supervisor, on behalf of Chief Todd Link.
Schaller said Link wouldn’t be commenting further due to the continuing investigation.
Esprit Metro Fastpitch Softball is an umbrella organization of girls softball teams with members from Edwardsville, Troy, Alton, Breese, Lebanon, Granite City, O’Fallon, Bethalto, Jerseyville and other southwestern Illinois communities, as well as some from Missouri.
The penalty for a Class 2 felony upon conviction in Illinois is three to seven years in prison.
This story was originally published October 31, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
