Thursday, June 22, 2006
David Gailbreath is accused of using the team's money for personal bills.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR PENNSYLVANIA BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- The former owner of the beleaguered New Castle Knights football team -- now the New Castle Thunder -- is accused of stealing money from the group.
David Gailbreath, 26, of 111 Smithfield St., has been charged with deceptive business practices, theft by deception and receiving stolen property. Charges were filed Friday at District Justice Melissa Amodie's office and Gailbreath was mailed a summons to appear July 18 for his preliminary hearing in Lawrence County Central Court.
According to police, Gailbreath and his wife, Lori, came to the police station on May 11 to report a theft.
Gailbreath claimed that Mark Cochenour, the team general manager, removed $1,500 from the team checking account. According to Gailbreath, the money was needed to repay all of the team sponsors since the organization was no longer viable.
Most of the team's management and players defected to the newly formed New Castle Thunder owned by city native Anthony Razzano that same week. That team has joined the North American Football League for the 2006 season, but has been unable to find a Lawrence County field to play its games.
Cochenour makes discovery
According to police, they interviewed Cochenour who said he discovered Gailbreath was spending the team's money on things other than team business and conferred with an attorney who told Cochenour to distance himself from Gailbreath and repay the team's debt. Police said Cochenour took the $1,500 and paid as much outstanding debt as he could.
Rick Sumner, who was coach of the Knights, and his wife, Brenda, told police that Gailbreath was spending team money on food and other items not related to the team.
The Sumners told police there were inconsistencies with Gailbreath's business practices and they were not sure how much money was taken into the Knights organization.
Breakdown of expenditures
Gailbreath then gave police a detailed breakdown of how he spent the money which stated he spent $591.48 for his mortgage and gave himself a $700 salary. Police said they also found 10 transactions for food at Shad Hanna's, Pizza Hut, Marchelloni's Pizza and Eat N' Park in New Castle.
When questioned by police about the personal expenses, Gailbreath told them he was entitled to the money, according to police reports.
According to the financial statement, very little money was used to buy team equipment or pay team expenses, police said.
Police said Gailbreath also bought a laptop computer and some templates for creating a website with team money and paid $100 for the team's membership into the American Football Association and $125 to incorporate the team. Police said legitimate team expenses accounted for only $700 of the $4,000 taken in.
cioffi@vindy.com