Stoneham Father, Son Found Guilty of Stealing from West Medford Hillside Little League

A father and son have been found guilty of embezzlement after they stole between $50,000 and $100,000 from the local little league they oversaw, according to authorities.

Stanley Komins and his son Stephen Komins, both of Stoneham, were found guilty by a Somerville District Court jury of stealing the funds from the West Medford Hillside Little League, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan announced Friday. Stephen was also found guilty of forging a check and uttering a false check, in addition to the embezzlement charge.

For over 30 years, Stanley was either the league’s president or an officer on the board of directors, while Stephen was the treasurer for more than a decade.

Judge Paul Yee sentenced Stanley to two years in prison, one year to serve with the balance suspended for two years, and ordered him to pay $35,000 to the league in restitution. Yee sentenced Stephen to one year in prison, six months to serve with the balance suspended for two years, and ordered him to pay $5,000 in restitution.

The case against the pair began in October 2011 when, after stepping down from the league’s board due to health reasons, Stanley refused to turn over the league’s bank account and did not provide any supporting documents for financial expenditures, authorities said.

In early November, Stanley told the board that the league’s account was his and that they would have to open a new one, according to authorities. At that time, the board filed paperwork with the Secretary of State’s Office to access the account and, after gaining access, immediately called police.

From 2007-2011, Stanley used various methods to embezzle from the league, a nonprofit, authorities said. He wrote checks from the league account and cashed them or deposited them into his personal account, and he used the league account to buy personal items, including cigarettes, razor blades, detergent and motor vehicle tires, authorities said.

According to authorities, Stephen also cashed checks from the league account and bought cigarettes, sneakers, toiletries and other household items with the money.

In addition, the men took out a $10,000 loan in 2007 using the league’s name, never reported it to the league, spent some of the money themselves and then paid it back with league funds, authorities said.

Authorities said the full scope of the men’s actions cannot be determined, as the pair also ran the league’s cash-only refreshment stand. The league’s account reflected very few cash deposits, authorities said.