Ex North Texas coach faces theft charge of spending school money at Houston strip club
A former Bridgeport High School soccer coach has been arrested on a third-degree felony theft charge, the Wise County Messenger reported Saturday.
JD Bales resigned in September over accusations he used a school district credit card to charge $5,455.18 at a Houston-area strip club.
Bales claimed the charges were fraudulent, but an investigation by Bridgeport police found evidence to the contrary, the Wise County Messenger reported.
Bales paid the district back, but Police Chief Steve Stanford told the Messenger he submitted the case to the district attorney due to substantial evidence Bales misused taxpayer funds. A Wise County grand jury indicted the former coach.
Bales’ arrest comes after six of his soccer players were arrested in May over allegations of hazing. The alleged hazing involved newer players being held down, undressed by other players, and forced to repeat demeaning and profane statements about themselves, Bridgeport police said.
Bales had coached at Bridgeport since 2018, and had repeatedly taken the team to the playoffs, according to the Wise County Messenger.
He was released on $10,000 bond after his arrest on Friday night, jail records showed.
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