Former treasurer charged after withdrawing over $90K from youth hockey association in Little Falls

The former treasurer of a nonprofit youth hockey association in Little Falls has been charged with theft.

Kelly Beth Alonso-Heath, 41, allegedly withdrew over $90,000 from the Little Falls Youth Hockey Association while she held the treasurer position from April 2016 until April 2020.

According to a criminal complaint, Alonso-Heath wrote fraudulent checks, made out to either herself or cash, totaling $86,951.69 "that did not benefit the association in any manner." Additionally, Alonso-Heath made fraudulent electronic withdrawals in the amount of $5,814.34 that "appear(ed) to be for car payments and utility payments that benefited Alonso-Heath and not the association."

The complaint details the following:

The association president and board member contacted police, reporting it appeared Alonso-Heath had taken "large sums of money" from the association for a few years.

The association president told police that while Alonso-Heath was treasurer, she would have to ask Alonso-Heath for access to the association’s account and bank records. Alonso-Heath would provide usernames and passwords that didn’t work, the president reported, and would not follow through after telling the president she would get back to her on the bank records.

When the president was ultimately able to gain access to the association’s bank records, the president reported discovering a large discrepancy. The president started digging through records and discovered what she reported to be fraudulent activity.

The president stated the checks Alonso-Heath had been writing and the withdrawals she had been making were illegitimate because there was no known business reason to pay out that kind of money in cash or to Alonso-Heath herself without an explanation.

Additionally, the president stated that once Alonso-Heath left the treasurer position with the association, the president learned of instances in which association bills were not being paid.

During an interview with police in July, Alonso-Heath said she had spent the money on household expenses, adding that she had been in dire financial need over the past few years.

Alonso-Heath is expected to make her first court appearance Oct. 19.