Youth sports official removed from post

AUSTIN (KXAN) - A day after a KXAN News investigation about a youth sports group's financial practices, a money crimes detective from the Austin Police Department is looking into the matter.

Sarah Voight, the former president of the Northwest Austin Pop Warner Association, is under fire over her financial practices, and she was removed Tuesday from her post as secretary of the Central Texas Pop Warner League.

The move comes one day after a KXAN News investigation showed that Voight had used funds from dues and other sources -- that had been earmarked for the Northwest Austin youth program -- instead for such expenses as dinners at restaurants, hotel rooms and even liquor store purchases.

Austin police contacted KXAN to talk about the matter after Monday's report aired.

• KXAN's original story

Voight, who has declined several requests for an interview, had served as president of the Northwest Austin association for several years before being voted out in December. For at least part of her tenure Voight also acted as the association's treasurer.

That put her in control of the organization's bank card and made her the person who signed the checks.

Voight was removed from her post after some parents and coaches began questioning some of the expenses paid for with association money. From there, she was named secretary of the executive board of the Central Texas Pop Warner League, which oversees the individual Pop Warner teams.

And in that role, Voight was able to solicit money for the youth association. KXAN News received a copy of an email solicitation from Voight in which she asks a company to help ensure that teams have the funds they need to keep from losing their charter.

One man said he gave Voight $100 in cash and has yet to receive a receipt.

KXAN News brought this to the attention of the members of the Central Texas Pop Warner Executive Board, who said they were not aware of this solicitation of money.

Within a couple of hours, they voted to remove Voight from the organization. That ended her affiliation with any Pop Warner entity.

Parents who assisted in the KXAN News investigation said Tuesday that they plan to file a complaint with the Austin Police Department. Austin police Detective Billy Perry, part of a money crimes task force that includes APD, the Travis County Sheriff's Office and the District Attorney's office, has also expressed interest in the matter.

KXAN's investigation concerns only the Northwest Austin Pop Warner Association and not any other division of Pop Warner.