| For Immediate Release Case # 12NF0476 December 19, 2012 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Chief of Staff Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami
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FORMER COP CONVICTED OF STEALING $60,000 FROM POLICE OFFICERS’ FOOTBALL ORGANIZATION THAT RAISED MONEY FOR YOUTH SCHOLARSHIPS
FULLERTON – A former police officer was convicted of stealing over $60,000 from a charitable police officers’ football organization. Kirk Robert Lotzgesell, 44, Winchester, pleaded guilty to a court offer Dec. 18, 2012, to one felony count of grand theft and is expected to be sentenced to up to one year in jail and restitution at his sentencing Jan. 25, 2013, in Department N-12, North Justice Center, Fullerton.
The Orange County Cop Bowl Association (OCCBA) is comprised of police officers who play football against other police and fire football teams to raise money for youth scholarships. Since its inception in 1978, OCCBA has raised over $1 million for charity.
Lotzgesell was a police officer with the La Habra Police Department until January 2006. In 2007, he volunteered as the unpaid treasurer for OCCBA after misrepresenting himself to the organization as a current police officer on medical leave.
As treasurer for the organization, the defendant had access to all of the teams’ finances and was responsible for OCCBA accounting and check writing. Between 2007 and 2009, Lotzgesell stole over $60,000 from OCCBA by writing checks to himself and making ATM withdrawals from the organization’s accounts. He spent the stolen money on personal expenses and bills.
OCCBA began reviewing their finances and discovered the theft after being contacted by the Internal Revenue Service regarding a failure to file tax returns.
The case was reported to the Brea Police Department, who investigated this case.
Deputy District Attorney Daniel Underwood of the Major Fraud Unit is prosecuting this case.
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