Little league president accused of stealing from organization
INVERNESS (FOX 13) - She was supposed to have kids' best interest at heart, but Citrus County Sheriff's detectives believe 36-year old Heidi Goocher was more concerned with lining her own pockets.
Goocher served as the Inverness Little League president back in 2014. During her time running the ball group, investigators said she racked up nearly $7,000 in personal expenses on the league's two credit cards.
"There were a lot of personal purchases. Everything from gas purchases, hair dye, she actually bought a catalytic converter for a car," Citrus County Sheriff's Detective Lee Carey said Tuesday.
During the course of a nearly year-long investigation, detectives said they unraveled another case of theft within the league. They said the treasurer during the previous year, Zora "Zeek" Gregory did the same thing - stealing over $1,500 for personal expenses.
"He purchased his homeowner's insurance and also his taxes from 2011," Carey said.
Goocher admitted to some of the purchases, telling investigators she had fallen on hard times.
"She took the funds because she was in an economic crisis herself, with the intention to pay it back, and was not able to," Carey said.
Both Goocher and Gregory were arrested and charged with grand theft and criminal use of personal information.
"The league has learned a lot through this. They now have a system of checks and balances where there's more accountability," Carey said.
The Inverness Little League posted on Facebook, telling parents they worked cooperatively with the Citrus County Sheriff's Office and will continue to work to make financial transparency a primary goal for the organization.