Former Valencia High Baseball Coach Accused Of Embezzling Up To $15K From School, Booster Club

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A former baseball coach pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges he embezzled up to $15,000 from a school and booster club for more than six years.

Jared Scott Snyder, 44, faces charges of one count each of misappropriation, embezzlement by a public officer, embezzlement by a private officer and four counts of grand theft.

Snyder is suspected of embezzling between $10,000 and $15,000 between April 2008 and February 2014, while working as Valencia High School's varsity baseball coach. Prosecutors say Snyder submitted fraudulent reimbursement forms to the school, and also paid for personal credit card expenses from the team's parent-funded booster club account.

The discrepancy was uncovered when the William S. Hart Unified School District conducted an audit in 2014 after receiving a complaint of financial irregularities in the baseball program. The audit was then turned over to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

Snyder, who is free on his own recognizance, is scheduled to return to court on March 6. He faces up to six years and eight months in state prison if convicted.