Trabuco Canyon man pleads guilty, gets jail time for embezzlement of youth sports league funds

The former treasurer of a Rancho Santa Margarita youth baseball league who was accused of stealing more than $87,000 from the organization pleaded guilty to 18 felony counts of embezzlement on Tuesday, Dec. 4.

Joshua Nowack, 43, of Trabuco Canyon admitted to taking money that belonged to Tijeras Creek Little League in Rancho Santa Margarita and depositing it into his personal accounts, according to a statement from the Orange County District Attorney’s Office. It said the embezzlement took place between January 2014 and September 2017.

The man had previously served as the youth league’s treasurer, and it was his successor who noticed the missing funds. Nowack was subsequently arrested on Sept. 13.

He was sentenced on Tuesday to six months in jail, to be followed by five years of formal probation, according to the Tuesday statement. He has also been ordered to pay $87,517.97 in restitution.