Healdsburg Police say they are moving forward in their investigation involving the potential misappropriation of youth soccer league funds that left the organization broke at the beginning of the season.
Lt. Kevin Young said Friday that he doesn't know when the case will be presented to the Sonoma County District Attorney's office to determine if charges will be filed.
"We've been executing some warrants. We are going to still need some more time regarding the collection of records," he said.
Board members of the Healdsburg Youth Soccer League estimated more than $35,000 went missing, causing league checks to bounce and bills to go unpaid.
They said former League President Kyle Hoffman was writing checks to himself for questionable expenditures and asked police to investigate.
While declining to identify the suspect, Young said several warrants were served on banking records, as well as at a person's residence on Thursday.
He said some of the information is being evaluated by an accountant, and an allied police agency is scrutinizing computer evidence that was seized.
But he said he was unable to predict when the investigation will wrap up. "We have some accounting professionals involved and we kind of got to work on their time lines," Young said.
Publicity over the potential embezzlement led to an outpouring of support for the league. The most recent was last month when the Healdsburg City Council approved the expenditure of $3,000 from its "Community Benefit Grant Fund" to help defray the cost of fees the organization is charged for use of city soccer fields.
There are about 300 boys and girls aged 18 and under in the youth league and the city typically charges $20 per player for field use.
North Bay Corp., the county's refuse hauler, kicked in $2,000 to cover the playing field fees.
The league's funds are derived from the $110 it charges players, as well as donations. But it also typically provides "scholarships" to low-income players.
With the shortfall of league money, several clubs, such as Soroptomists, stepped forward with donations.
A division of the California Youth Soccer League helped pay for insurance and referee training costs. The Petaluma and Napa youth soccer leagues each sent $1,000, according to City Councilwoman Lisa Wittke Schaffner, who also is on the board of directors for the Healdsburg league.
Hotel Healdsburg added $1,000. Previously, the San Jose Earthquakes donated $4,000 worth of their game tickets for league members to sell and keep the proceeds. The professional soccer organization also donated $1,000 and enlisted Adidas to donate 125 soccer balls and 150 sports jerseys.
"We were overwhelmed and so excited to get the support of the community. The whole board is feeling very pleased and grateful," Schaffner said.
"We'll get through this season and we'll absolutely be able to play next season," she said.
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