Youth sports president arrested for embezzlement

by Ken Kiunke , January 17, 2013

PLACER COUNTY – The president of the Rocklin Junior Thunder Football and Cheer Association has been arrested for embezzling over $20,000 from the youth sports organization.

Stephanie Ann Abercrombie

The Junior Thunder program is a youth full contact football and cheerleading program for children aged 6 to 14. It relies heavily on volunteers, and each participant’s family is required to provide at least 10 hours of service. Registration fees are approximately $300 for each player, and from $175 to $305 for cheerleading team members. Children and families are also expected to participate in fundraising activities, as the registration fees only cover about 70% of the cost of the program, according to the Junior Thunder website.

The organization’s mission statement states that the goal of the program is to “develop and promote the ideals of responsibility, hard work, sportsmanship, teamwork and fellowship within a safe and positive environment.”

Stephanie Ann Abercrombie, 41 of Rockin, is now listed as the former president of the Rocklin Junior Thunder program. Rocklin police received a report alleging that she had embezzled funds that were entrusted to her for the daily operations of the non-profit organization. According to a Rocklin Police press release, an investigation of several weeks revealed that she had apparently stolen over $20,000 in funds from the program. At 8:30 this morning, detectives from the Rocklin police Investigative Unit placed Abercrombie under arrest at her home, on the charges of burglary, embezzlement of over $400.00, and forgery. She is being held at the Placer county jail on $10,000 bail.