Former Neosho Youth Football League president bound over for trial on stealing charge

Former Neosho Youth Football League president Stewart Pace waived his preliminary hearing Monday in Newton County Circuit Court and was bound over for trial by Judge Joseph Skouby.

The hearing took place more than two years after the Newton County Prosecuting Attorney's office charge Pace with the theft of at least $15,000 from the league. That was the amount Pace acknowledged he took, but league officials seemed to think the amount was much more.

As the Turner Report noted in its May 30, 2022 edition, the biggest question was how in the world Pace and his wife, who was the league's treasurer, were given access to money when the couple had a lengthy and easily discovered record of being unable to handle money.

The Paces have a lengthy history of financial difficulties, including a 2004 Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Three times in the past eight years, the Missouri Department of Revenue has taken the Paces to court to collect on unpaid taxes.

Online court records indicate loan companies received judgments against the Paces in 2011 for $12,036.99 and in 2014 for $2,712.46.

The Paces filed for bankruptcy December 21, 2004, owing $96,663.55 while having $71,393,91 in assests, according to U. S. Bankruptcy Court records.

Among their debts:

-$4,395.31 to Aqua Finance for water treatment

-$35,441 to Chrysler Financial for a 2003 Dodge Dakota

-$4,230.60 to Non Teacher Credit Union for purchase of a boat
plus $1,682.82 to Bank of America, $1,865.22 to Capital One and $953.57 to Citibank, $772.01 to J. C. Penney, $166.32 to Sports Illustrated Swimsuit and $631.99 to Zale's Credit Plan.

The Missouri Department of Revenue received judgments of $2,611.15 in 2013, $3,435.94 in 2016 and $581.72 in 2018 for unpaid taxes.

Judgments of $12,036.94 from Beneficial Financial Support and $2,712.46 from Tower Loan, both in 2014 were levied.

Online court records indicate the Paces have satisfied the judgments in both the tax and loan cases.

The Newton County Prosecuting Attorney's office filed the felony charge against Stewart Pace after he admitted to Newton County Sheriff's Office investigators that he had embezzled at least $15,000 from the youth organization.

From the probable cause statement:

"I then interviewed Stewart Pace. I read Stewart his Miranda rights and he stated that he understood those rights. Stewart stated that he was out of work for a while and started using the football league's money to pay bills, fix his truck and it 'Just got out of hand.' "