The former treasurer of the Arbutus Athletic Association pleaded guilty to one count of theft Tuesday, admitting he used the group's credit card to pay his own cellphone bills over the course of about four years.
An emotional Marvin B. March, 64, said in Baltimore County Circuit Court that he took responsibility for his actions.
The longtime football coach told Judge Jan Marshall Alexander that he had been involved with local football in Arbutus since he was 13 years old and was at one point inducted into the association's hall of fame.
"It kills me that I can't do what I used to do," he said.
Alexander sentenced March to probation before judgment and ordered him to stay away from athletic association activities.
Prosecutor Adam Lippe said March used about $5,600 in association funds to pay his Verizon bills. He said the athletic association made an "unwritten agreement" with March that they wouldn't report the theft to police if he resigned and repaid the money, which he did.
But police received information about possible embezzlement from the athletic association and began investigating in December, authorities said in court documents. The Verizon payments were made between September 2010 and February 2014, authorities said.
March's attorney said March used the athletic association's credit card to pay a bill when he was having a financial emergency, and the situation "snowballed."
Marc Peitersen said March always intended to pay the money back.
March said he never intended the phone company to keep charging the credit card over time.
Alexander called March's courtroom statement "heartfelt," but questioned how the theft could have been an accident.
Allegations of embezzlement have been reported at several Baltimore County recreation programs. The county Board of Recreation and Parks voted last week to expand background checks for volunteers who have access to the local programs' accounts and to require them to be bonded.
Peitersen emphasized that March cooperated with the police investigation in this case. He said March and the athletic association believed the matter was resolved when March repaid the money, but county recreation officials wanted to pursue criminal charges.
He said March had never been in trouble with the law before and had coached thousands of people throughout the years — including Peitersen.
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