A 55-year-old Waimea woman’s record could be cleared of charges stemming from the embezzlement of almost $100,000 in league funds from the Big Island Pop Warner Football Conference.
A 55-year-old Waimea woman’s record could be cleared of charges stemming from the embezzlement of almost $100,000 in league funds from the Big Island Pop Warner Football Conference.
Greta K. “Pua” Correa received on Tuesday a 10-year deferred acceptance of her no contest plea to first-degree theft that she entered July 7 in Kona, according to 3rd Circuit Court records. A deferred acceptance of a plea means that a conviction would be erased from her record if she stays out of trouble during the deferral period.
In granting the deferral, Judge Ronald Ibarra also added conditions that Correa serve one year in jail, with all of the jail time stayed so long as she remains employed and makes monthly restitution payments. She must pay restitution of $98,100 to the Big Island Pop Warner Football Conference, of which $10,000 had to be paid at the time of sentencing Tuesday.
Correa is also prohibited from gambling and she must also write a letter of apology to the victim.
Correa, the former league treasurer, stole the money between March 25, 2009, and May 9, 2012, according to a complaint filed April 29. League officials said in November 2013 Correa forged the signature of the former league president, Charles Nahale, on league travel fund checks, accompanied by her own signature.
Correa was slated to go on trial Sept. 22 before Ibarra.
Hawaii Tribune-Herald staff writer John Burnett contributed to this report.