Suspect Emptied Out the Account
HOLLISTER—Authorities with the San Benito County Sheriff’s Department have arrested a mother of two band members on embezzlement charges after they discovered that the account had a deficit balance. Deputies arrested the 53-year-old Treasurer of the San Benito High School “Baler Band Booster Club”, Debra Curtis, and charged her with embezzlement.
On March 3rd, the Band’s director alerted the San Benito County Sheriff’s Department when he attempted to cash a check from the booster club. The bank refused to cash the check.
Debra Curtis booking photo.
The bank advised him to contact the Booster Club. After an investigation by the Booster Club they discovered that Curtis had emptied the account. Its is estimated that she stole over $57,000 of the band’s money that was supposed to be used for up coming band events.
Curtis, who has two children in the band, was appointed Treasurer of the San Benito High School band booster club in July after handling uniform duties in the past. She eventually resigned her duties as treasurer last month.
Curtis was able to obtain an Automated Teller Machine card (ATM) under the Booster Club’s name and used it to make withdrawals and purchases for her personal use.
A photo from the 90’s, according to her Facebook page.
“She wrote checks to herself and obtained the ATM card, that was also a credit card, to make the purchases, leaving the Booster Club’s account with a deficit balance of $700.00″ San Benito County Sheriff’s Captain Tony Lamonica said. “ Her bail was set at 35,000.00 dollars.”
In a post on Curtis’s Facebook page today, she stated simply “so ashamed so sorry”, and after a message of support from a friend, she added “thank you for this. I am an addict.”
Earlier this year, she somewhat ironically posted an appeal on her page to raise funds for the band. On January 28 she provided a link to the “gofundme” site that included this message from her: “Thanks for taking a moment to read about our band. We really need your help. We are a humble band in a small town and although we have the support of the community, it’s just not enough to keep our band competitive with the other bands in the silicon valley. Besides high school football, band and farming, there aren’t a lot of things to keep our tweens and teens busy doing the right things. Band is a group of fantastic of kids who are accepting of each other and are like a family. They just need a little help, from you. Not only is this a fun activity but there are scholarships in music, as these kids go on to university! Music is a common thread that allows for kids of all backgrounds to feel accepted. Won’t you please help keep this organization to continue to live on? Our uniforms were purchased “used” over 10 years ago, so you can imagine the state they are in now, and instruments are on their last leg. We perform approximately 15 competitions during the school year of which the students pay for the transportation and entry fees of about $3,000.00 This leaves nothing for uniforms and repairs to instruments. We are set up as a 501(C-3) and our number is 94-2478452 so your donation is tax deductible. Please find it in your heart to send something to help us, no matter how large or small anything will help. If everyone sent just $20.00 the difference it would make for our band would be huge. If you wish to see more, please check out our website at www.sbhsband.org.”
The San Benito County Sheriff’s Department is still investigating this case and is still going over bank records to determine the exact amount of money that was taken. The Sheriff’s Officer is asking that if anyone has information about this case to call them at 1-831-636-4080.
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KSBW: Hollister high booster club leader accused of embezzlement
