Former Coach, Teacher Arrested on Theft Charges

A 52-year-old Tampa man faces grand theft charges after Hillsborough County Sheriff’s deputies say he swiped more than $9,000 from Gaither High School related to sporting events.

According to the sheriff’s office, Charles Lattimore worked as a substitute teacher, a coach and athletic event coordinator during the 2014-15 school year. He was tasked with collecting, reporting and turning in the cash made from each sporting event, among other duties.

When the school year came to an end last year, Lattimore, an email from the sheriff’s office said, cashed all the event checks that funded each event, but didn’t turn in all the gate money. When questioned by school officials on May 14, 2015, Lattimore, the email said, told them $6,800 had been stolen since September 2014.

“Lattimore claimed to have been too embarrassed to tell anyone,” the email said. “Mr. Lattimore was fired.”

Wanting to get to the bottom of the losses, the district called in deputies, the email noted. A subsequent audit was conducted showing the school was actually out $9,852.

Deputies charged Lattimore with third-degree grand theft on Monday. He was being held in the Hillsborough County Jail Monday in lieu of $2,000 bond.

Booking photo courtesy of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office