Paul E. Gable IV
HANCOCK COUNTY — The man who was accused of taking thousands from a booster club associated with the New Palestine High School football teams had his case settled this week in Hancock County Superior Court 1 via a plea agreement.
Paul E. Gable IV, 41, Fairland, was charged in June of 2022 with a Level 6 felony count of theft after officials with the booster program known as the New Palestine Grid Iron Alliance (GIA) discovered the misuse of approximately $27,319.37.
As part of the plea agreement, Gable had to admit guilt to the Level 6 felony and was given a term of 730 days with 365 days to be executed through Community Corrections Home Detention with the other 365 days suspended. The agreement also calls for Gable to repay the booster club approximately $27,320 which he took, court documents show.
According to a probable cause affidavit, officials from the GIA, a non for profit 501(c)(3) contacted law enforcement officials about the theft in early April of 2022. The GIA was created years ago by parents whose kids played football to assist the New Palestine High School football team with whatever needs the school could not fulfill.
The president of the organization reached out to officials with the New Palestine Police Department last April saying he had assumed the leadership role with the booster club after Gable admitted to taking funds and resigned, the report stated.
At the time Gable, informed officials with the GIA organization via an email he was stepping down because he had used some of the funding for personal purchases.
According to the report, Gable’s email said, “effective immediately, I am resigning from my post as president of the NPGIA as a result of misuse of funds for personal use. Nobody else was involved nor did anyone know what was happening.”
Gable added in the email, “I sincerely apologize to each and every one of you and exit in total embarrassment for myself, my family and with all of you.”
Officials with the GIA asked Gable how much he had misused, and he told them around $5,000 and that he wanted to work with them to pay back the money, the report stated. However, when officials from the GIA looked further into the misuse of funds, they found the figure was more than five times that amount.
Officials with the GIA found some 537 total GIA transactions with only 38 of them being legitimate organizational expenses. Officials determined 484 were for personal purchases while 14 could not be determined.
According to the report, officials with the GIA organization noted several Grub Hub purchases, as well as electricity, phone and car loan payments. The total amount of unauthorized purchases totaled $21,574.87, according to the report.
Officials with the GIA also noted cash from discount card sales, approximately $5, 744.50 which was given to Gable, was never deposited into the official GIA account, the report stated.
