It took more than two years, but the preliminary hearing for former Neosho Youth Football League president Stewart Pace on a felony stealing charge is scheduled for 1 p.m. Monday before Judge Jacob Skouby in Newton County Circuit Court.
According to online court records, this will be the first time Pace has been in court since his June 14, 2022 arraignment. Charges were filed against Pace May 26, 2022.
Since the arraignment, Stilley has filed at least six motions for continuance, each time indicating he had scheduling conflicts. Judge Skouby sustained each motion.The allegations against Pace are spelled out in the probable cause statement written by Newton County Sheriff's Office Det. Todd Morgan:
On May 4, 2022 at 13:00 hrs. I met with Jill Rogers, Susan Elledge, and Brett Day at the Newton County Sheriff's Office. Brett stated he had started the no profit organization called the Neosho Youth Football League. Brett stated that Stewart Pace was the current president of the league and Stewart's wife "Jessica Pace" was the treasurer. Stewart had been the president for approximately four years.
Susan Elledge stated the Neosho Youth Football League has a checking account at Community Bank and Trust. Susan stated that on 4/15/2022 she attempted to buy approximately $28 worth of items online for the football league.
Susan stated that the card was declined, so she believed something was wrong with her debit card.Susan stated that she stopped by the Community Bank and Trust in Joplin and they advised her that there had been several transactions on the account and there was only $20.72 left in the account.
Jill Rogers provided me a complete folder with the bank statement back to June of 2020, minutes from the board meeting and other paperwork. Jill stated that she had went through the bank statements and highlighted all the fraudulent charges.
Jill stated that the charges done in Newton County totaled $40,062.26. The majority of those charges were done at ATMs and gas stations. Susan stated that all fraudulent charges were done using the debit card that was assigned to Jessica Pace.
Susan Elledge stated that on April 16, 2022 the football league board had an emergency meeting without Stewart and Jessica Pace.
The board was told only two weeks prior by the treasurer "Jessica Pace" that there was $22,000 in the checking account.
During that meeting, Susan called Stewart on his cell phone. This call was done on speaker phone so the board members could hear. Susan asked Stewart if he knew that the checking account was down to $20. 72. Stewart stated that he would go to the bank on Monday and look into it.
On Sunday April 17, 2022, Susan stated that she received a text from Stewart confessing that he had used the funds to "help me with financials."
Stewart and Susan responded several different times by text message. Susan stated that they closed the account on 4/20/2022. Susan made me copies of the text message between her and Stewart.
On May 5, 2022 I called and spoke with Stewart Pace. I told him I needed to speak with him and Jessica about a case I was working.
At approximately 14:20 hrs. Jessica and Stewart came to the sheriff's office. I interviewed Jessica Pace first. I read Jessica her Miranda rights and she signed a waiver stating she understood her rights. I asked Jessica if she knew why I wanted to speak with her. Jessica stated yes, it was about the football league funds being misused.
I asked Jessica who had misused it. She stated that she and her husband has misused it.
Mostly her husband.
Jessica stated that she did use the Neosho Youth Football League debit card to purchase items for her and her family. Jessica stated that this started about two years ago. Jessica stated that she would buy items at Wal-Mart for the ball league and buy items for herself at the same time. Jessica stated at different times she would get cash back at Wal-Mart and keep the cash.I asked Jessica if she ever had to pull money from the ATM to purchase items. She stated on occasion she would have to get cash from the ATM to make change, but most of the time she would have the bank teller withdraw cash. There were several transactions at gas stations.
I asked Jessica if she ever used the debit card for gas. She stated no. I asked Jessica if she had looked at the bank statements for the league's account. She explained that about a year ago the post office box fee was not paid. The bank had sent the statements to the league's post office box.
Since the post office box was closed: they had not been receiving statements.
Jessica stated that she did not go into the bank to get the statements. Jessica stated that the last board meeting she told the board members that there was $22,000 in the account. She stated Stewart had told her that was the amount in the checking account.
Jessica stated that she believed they had used $2000 from the account. Jessica stated that she did put $2500 in the account.
Jessica stated that wrote a check and deposited it. I did find the deposit was done in February of 2022.
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."
Stewart stated that his wife Jessica did not know how much he had used. Stewart stated that Susan Elledge had used $1000 from the account but he did not know if she had paid the money back. Stewart stated that he has not looked at a bank statement in a while. Stewart stated that the post office box was closed due to not paying the bill.
Stewart said he paid to have the post office box reopened out of his personal account because there was not money in the football league's account.
Stewart stated that some of the cash he pulled from the ATM was used to get supplies. I asked if he had receipts. He stated that if he got receipts he would give them to Susan Elledge. I asked why he did that if Jessica was the treasurer. He stated that if they needed change they would go get it.
Stewart stated that he estimated that he took $15 000.
9 comments:
If you check his cases Mr Turner Judge Skouby is the slowest judge in SWMO, maybe in the state.
Stewart and Jessica Pace, are deplorable and fraudulent people - pure Criminals. Anyone that would steal Money from a Non-Profit to pay for their Lifestyle and personal Bills, needs to be sent to jail and be required to pay back restitution to this organization.
You can easily tell with over 14-Legal Cases on Case-Net, that Steward and Jessica Pace, over several years had multiple Financial Cases Filed against them - they should have never been allowed to handle anyone else's Money.
Their Attorney has filed Motion for Continuance, time after time. Judge Skouby, should set a moratorium of time and mandating that both the Plaintiff and the Defendants be ready for Trial.
This same thing has happened multiple times in Jasper and Newton Counties to several Non-Profits, because they allow people in charge of the Money without implementing - Checks and Balances and Monthly Statements, with Detail, Receipts, Bank Statements, and Auditing of these Records.
Non-Profit Requirements.
Never Ever - have a Husband and Wife or Relatives together on the Bank Accounts or Credit / Debit Cards of a Non-Profit.
Require Monthly Meetings, Prepare a Monthly Statement, backed by Bank Statements, Physical Receipts, Audit and Review these Statements by others in the Organization. This way you know within a 30-Day Cycle if Funds are Disappearing - NOT 2-YEARS LATER AND OVER $40,000 STOLEN - THIS IS TOTALLY RIDICULLOUS.
Some Non-Profits required anyone that handles money to be bonded, and they have a liability insurance for Fraud and Theft, most Non-Profits cannot afford this.
Again, these two need to Spend Time in Jail and Pay back what they Stole to the Neosho Youth Football League.
He's going down for his crimes just like Trump
Their Crimes have nothing to do with Trump or Biden and his Son's Hunter illegal Money Laundering and Bribery from Ukraine and China - which some of that Money went in to Joe Biden's Campaign Fund, Lying on Federal Forms, Drugs, Adultery with his Brother's Wife or his Gun Purchasing as a Felon, facing up to 25-Years in Jail. So, please both Men - Trump and Biden are Dishonorable Men and a majority of their Families all need to be in jail. You need to get your stories straight - the whole story - not just part of the story - and hide behind a One-Sided Political Point of View - Both Trump and Biden are Dishonorable Men and their Families continue those same Traditions! If anyone dare think that either Party or Candidate is Lilly White - You are just a Minion.
Stewart and Jessica Pace - Both stole from a Non-Profit Youth Group for their own Personal Gain, Not-Political, hopefully they will spend time in jail and pay restitution of the $40,000 dollars they stole.
Need MOAR rANdoM CapiTALizaTion to convince ME!
Trump is the convicted felon, not Hunter or Joe.
Maybe Trump and Hunter can be cell mates, when he gets his felony charges.
8:34AM, Are you criticizing other's comments? Just wondering if you are the new CAPITILAZATION POLICE, or just have nothing to do in life. Is your game controller broke or nothing going on Facebook, TikTok, or Instagram, for you to comment on?
I do not understand how this can drag on so long. Could someone please explain.
Stewart and Jessica Pace's Defense Attorney - Jared Paul Stilley, has filed Motion to Continue after Motion to Continue Proceedings for over Two-Years. While Motion to Continue is usually Granted in most Trials, this is exceedingly ridiculous for this length of time.
While the Prosecuting Attorneys for Newton County, William Patrick Lynch, and Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Mitchell B. Cross, should have requested the Judge, Jacob R. Skouby to set some type of time moratorium so that the Defense did not continue to waste the Court's Time and allow Justice to take its place with these two Defendants.
Most Defense Attorneys use "Motion to Continue", Filings to further find evidence and support their clients Defense, in this situation this is just a stall tactic, the evidence is clear they have both admitted to taking and using the money for their personal lifestyle, I believe the only disagreement is the amount that was stolen. Which should be clearly available from Audited Bank Statements.
Defense Attorneys also use Continuances to try and cut Deals for their Clients or for their Clients to try and raise Money to offer as a Settlement to help reduce potential jail time as a good faith effort. Again, they should both do Jail Time for stealing over $40,000 from this Youth Non-Profit Organization.
But you are right this 2-Year Continuance is Ridiculous and Both the Prosecuting Attorneys and the Judge set a Time Limit on the Plaintiffs and their Attorney to be ready to go to Trial.
Case Net 22NW-CR00943 - ST V STEWART P PACE (E-CASE)
Cut and Paste this URL - and look at the Docket Entries - of Motion after Motion of Continuances from Stewart and Jessica Pace's Defense Attorney.
https://www.courts.mo.gov/cnet/cases/newHeader.do?inputVO.caseNumber=22NW-CR00943&inputVO.courtId=SMPDB0001_CT40#header
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