WRALL ex-president charged with more thefts

WARNER ROBINS -- Additional charges have been filed against the ex-president of the Warner Robins American Little League.

The Houston County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday that its investigation into missing money from the league led to the arrest of Joseph Dante Stella. Stella, 37, of Warner Robins, has been charged with seven felony counts of fiduciary theft.

The new charges stem from several thousand dollars reported missing from a cash fund used with concession stand sales, registration fees and for payment of umpires, said sheriff’s Capt. Jon Holland.

Holland said Stella is accused of taking money on seven different occasions for a total of $6,300 to $6,500. The money was taken between March and May of this year, he said.

League officials estimated the amount missing to be as much as $10,000. But Holland said that estimate was based on projected revenues mostly from concession stand sales.

Stella was being held Thursday afternoon at the Houston County jail without bond, according to a news release from the sheriff’s office.

Those charges are the latest against Stella, who also faces 26 counts of theft by taking fiduciary for allegedly making personal purchases with the league credit card.

He also was charged with four counts of felony identity fraud for allegedly signing someone else’s name when making four of those 26 purchases. Stella was out on bond on those charges.

Lars Anderson, Stella’s Macon attorney, declined to comment on the facts of the case.

Meanwhile, former Little League softball vice president Darin McDowell, 40, of Warner Robins, was charged earlier this month with six counts of theft by taking fiduciary.

Holland said there’s “no indication that would lead us to believe” that McDowell took money from the cash fund.

McDowell is accused of purchasing about $300 worth of household goods, including blinds and ant killer, with a league card, Holland said.

Stella is accused of purchasing about $5,000 worth of household and home improvement items -- including paint, a fire pit and an outdoor tent -- with a league credit card, Holland said.

Sheriff’s investigators obtained surveillance video from stores that show Stella and McDowell making purchases with league cards, Holland said.

The credit card purchases were made between June 2014 and May 2015, Holland said.

The investigation is on-going.

“We just want to make sure we are as thorough as we can be in this investigation,” Holland said.

To contact writer Becky Purser, call 256-9559.

This story was originally published June 18, 2015 at 5:08 PM with the headline "WRALL ex-president charged with more thefts ."