McHenry girls softball league president charged with stealing $16K from organization

The former president of a McHenry girls softball league has been charged with a felony count of theft, accused of taking cash from the league’s accounts for personal use.

Natalie G. Phelps, 35, of the 400 block of North Kent Road, McHenry, was arrested by McHenry police on Monday, according to a police news release.

Police said board members from the McHenry Pigtail Softball League reported on Aug. 3 “discrepancies with their bank accounts, specifically a large amount of money was unaccounted for without justification.”

According to authorities, Phelps improperly withdrew $16,000 from the league’s account. Those withdrawals occurred between June 1, 2022, and Aug. 3, 2023, while Phelps was league president, according to the complaint filed at the McHenry County Courthouse.

An email to the current Pigtail league president was not returned.

“The McHenry Police Department is committed to investigating anyone that takes advantage of our non-profit organizations and will pursue their prosecution to the fullest extent allowed by the law,” the McHenry Police Department wrote in its statement.

Anyone with information related to the investigation is asked to contact the McHenry Police Criminal Investigation Division at 815-363-2599. Those wishing to pass along anonymous information are encouraged to call the tip line at 815-363-2124.