N.C. Umpire Association president charged with stealing checks
By John Joyce
Published in News on January 3, 2015 10:55 PM
The president of the N.C. Umpire Association has been charged with stealing checks and depositing them in the association's bank account, the Wayne County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday.
Robert Morris Smith, 51, of 159 Ditch Bank Road, has been charged with larceny of choice in action.
According to the WCSO press release, Smith deposited checks that were made out to Christopher Bland and Wiliam Bland, two men who formerly shared an address with Smith. The checks, totaling $465, were deposited in the N.C. Umpire Association account rather than given to the Blands, the release said.
Maj. Tom Effler further explained the charges filed against Smith.
"(The check) wasn't made out to him for one thing, and he took it and deposited in an account only he had control over," he said.
Effler said Smith's bond was set at $2,500.
Smith, appointed rather than elected to his position with the umpire association, said the charges against him will in no way jeopardize his position as president.
"The umpire association is a nonprofit. There are no owners," he said.
Smith declined to answer questions about the checks or the fact they were deposited in the association account.
"I could answer that, but I'm not going to. I just called my attorney (John Edwards) and he is going to be handling this," Smith said.