Former youth football director heads to trial on theft charges
The former director of a local youth football league will head to trial on charges that alleged he embezzled about $235,000 from the organization.
Charges against 57-year-old William Spencer were held for the Washington County Court of Common Pleas on Wednesday. He had been scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing that morning.
Spencer, of Canton Township, resigned from his role leading the Western Pennsylvania Youth Football League last March after the league’s members became concerned about the organization’s finances and lack of a payment to its insurance provider.
According to charging documents, investigators from the state attorney general’s office found 187 fraudulent checks totaling $231,939 and about $3,000 in other payments dating back to 2020.
Court records list Spencer’s attorney as Lane Turturice. Turturice did not respond to a phone call seeking comment.
Spencer was first appointed to lead the organization in 2013 when it was the Washington/Greene Youth Football League. In 2021, the organization was expanded and renamed. It consists of 44 local organizations that supply teams from Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene and Washington counties, with three divisions for youths in first through sixth grades.
The concerns about the organization’s finances led to an emergency meeting on March 12, 2025. Spencer submitted a letter of resignation the day before the meeting.
Spencer is accused in court documents of using the funds for cash withdrawals, utility bills, credit card payments and various personal purchases, and also depositing some into his retirement account.
He faces felony charges of theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property, as well as misdemeanor counts of misapplying entrusted finances, theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property.
According to online court records, he is scheduled to appear for arraignment at the Washington County Courthouse at 9 a.m. April 28. He is currently free on $250,000 unsecured bond.