DeRidder couple accused of theft from local baseball league
Published 11:42 am Friday, June 11, 2021
Pamela Sleezer
A DeRidder couple has been arrested for allegedly misusing baseball league funds for personal use over the past three years, according to DeRidder Police officials.
Benjamin Talley, 49, and Paulette Talley, 51, were arrested on Thursday and charged with Theft and Criminal Conspiracy to Commit Theft following an investigation into the couple’s handling of funds from a local baseball league the two helped run.
According to Police Chief Craig Richard, Benjamin Talley served as the board president of the DeRidder Baseball/Softball League while Paulette Talley served as the board’s secretary/treasurer.
According to Richard, the investigation into the Talleys began on May 4 after police received a complaint of possible misappropriation of funds by “certain board members” of the league.
Richard said that detectives began their looking into the league’s financial records, purchases and other evidence and determined that the misuse of league funds dated back to 2019, which Richard said is when the Talleys became board members.
Detectives determined that over $6,000 of league funds was allegedly used by the Talleys for food, gas and home improvements at their personal residence.
The couple were booked into the Beauregard Parish Jail with a bond set at $10,000 each.
Bond conditions prohibit the couple from having any contact with board members, directors or officers of the baseball league. Failure to comply with bond conditions could result in the forfeiture of their bond and booking back into the jail, according to authorities.
Richard said the investigation is ongoing.
