October 27, 2015: Steven D. Wyatt Statement of Facts

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY

STATE OF MARYLAND

V.

STEVEN D. WYATT

STATEMENT OF FACTS

Beginning July 2012, Defendant Steven D. Wyatt (hereinafter Defendant) served as the President of the North County High School Athletic Boosters Association (“NCHSABA”). In addition to serving as President, the Defendant assumed the role of Treasurer of NCHSABA in October 2013. Upon assuming such role, the Defendant was issued a debit card with a unique number, giving him access to the NCHSABA’s Bank of America account.

As part of his responsibilities as Treasurer of NCHSABA, the Defendant made deposits, made disbursements, maintained the bank records, and was to provide financial reports at monthly association meetings. During the first five meetings of 2014, the Defendant failed to produce financial reports. However, he verbally accounted for $13,000 in the checking account and $10,000 in the savings account.

In September 2014, new officers were to be elected for vice-president, secretary, and treasurer. When the outgoing vice-president and secretary arrived for the meeting, no one else was present. They learned that the Defendant secretly held the election in August 2014. Ms. Hauck, the outgoing vice-president, activated the debit card assigned to her, conducted a balance inquiry, and discovered that the combined balance of the checking account and the savings account was approximately $22,000 less than was reported by the Defendant.

The Anne Arundel County Police were contacted upon NCHSABA learning of missing funds. Detective Renee Brown investigated numerous suspicious transactions on the NCHSABA account from February 2014 through August 2014. The transactions were conducted with the debit card assigned to the Defendant and included:

1. Twenty-five ATM cash withdrawals at six different Bank of America branches totaling $13,300,
2. One ATM cash withdrawal at Capital One Bank in Severn for $205.50,
3. One teller cash withdrawal at Bank of America in Linthicum for $600.

Surveillance video and photographs were available for most of the transactions. The Defendant can be seen as the person making the unauthorized withdraws.

During the above-referenced timeframe, the Defendant was a candidate for the House of Delegates in District 32. In addition to the twenty-seven unauthorized debt card withdrawals, the Defendant used the debit card of NCHSABA to pay for expenses related to his candidacy. The expenses included $2,150 to Leadership Anne Arundel for a 9-month leadership program and $1,305.20 to Mission BBQ for catering service for his March 23, 2014 fundraiser. A review of the Defendant’s Facebook account showed a March 23, 2014 posting by the Defendant which stated, “Awesome fundraiser last night, great food by Mission BBQ”.

An inspection of the Defendant’s campaign finance entity (“Friends of Steven Wyatt) reflected two campaign loans from the Defendant to himself – $650 on June 10, 2014 and $600 on June 16, 2014. However, the investigation revealed that the funds were taken from the NCHSABA, deposited into two personal accounts belonging to the Defendant, and then transferred to the campaign finance entity’s bank account. In addition, the Defendant reported the expense related to Mission BBQ as an “in-kind” contribution made by him when, in fact, the funds were taken from NCHSABA without authorization. The Defendant also failed to report the expenses related to Leadership Anne Arundel on any campaign finance report.

All funds withdrawn from the NCHSABA account as described herein were taken without authorization and were used for the personal benefit of the Defendant and the benefit of “Friends of Steven Wyatt”. From February 2014 through August 2014, the Defendant stole a total of $17,560.70. All events occurred in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.

EMMET C. DAVITT

Maryland State Prosecutor