Coach Accused of Embezzling $86,000 From Youth League

The treasurer of a South County youth football league was arrested Monday on suspicion of embezzling more than $86,000 from a league account over the last few years.

Authorities said George Gutierrez, 50, of Rancho Santa Margarita used his position to write at least 79 checks from the Santa Margarita-Trabuco Canyon Pop Warner football league to himself and to cash, allowing him immediate access to the money.

Gutierrez, a former league president and coach, used the money to pay for food, rent and personal bills, said Sheriff’s Department spokesman Jim Amormino.

Amormino said other league members said they began to suspect Gutierrez was embezzling money about three months ago.

“Had we not identified this problem when we did, we would not have the funds to operate the program this year,” said veteran league coach Scott McKnight, a detective with the Newport Beach Police Department.

“He left us deeply in debt,” McKnight said. But “even if we didn’t raise a penny, there will still be football this year.”

Gutierrez was relieved of his duties in late March after investigators searched one of his former homes.

Authorities said Gutierrez wrote fake invoices for equipment purchases to justify the money missing from the league’s Bank of America account.

Gutierrez turned himself in Monday and was booked into Orange County Jail in lieu of $10,000 bail.