Former treasurer accused of stealing nearly $80,000 from a Georgia Little League baseball program, police say
A former treasurer of a Georgia youth sports organization is facing felony charges after police say he used the group's bank card for thousands of unauthorized purchases.
According to the Columbia Police Department, investigators with the Property Crimes Unit arrested 35-year-old Craig Norris in connection with a theft investigation involving Pioneer Little League.
Detectives said the case began in March 2026 after the league reported unauthorized use of its bank card. During the investigation, authorities identified 1,039 fraudulent transactions totaling $79,609.80 across multiple businesses.
Police said Norris, who was listed as the treasurer for the organization during the 2024–2025 season, was taken into custody without any issues.
He was transported to the Muscogee County Jail and is charged with theft by taking, a felony, and financial transaction card fraud.
In a statement, officials with the league said that they discovered the discrepancies over the course of several weeks after the newly-appointed secretary and board began reviewing registration numbers and the bank balance reported by Norris.
"Because leadership identified concerns, took swift action, and reported the matter to authorities before the season began, Spring 2026 regular season operations were not affected," the league said in a statement. "Registration, team formation, practices, games, equipment distribution, and all other league activities have continued as planned and without disruption."
The board said it would implement corrective measures, such as multi-person financial oversight and strengthened controls over league-issued debit cards, to ensure similar situations do not happen in the future.
