Former Holbrook Little League Treasurer receives sentence for Theft

The former treasurer of Holbrook Little League in Jackson has been sentenced to one year of non-custodial probation, 100-hours of community service and must pay $63,085.41 in restitution to HLL following his previous guilty plea to Theft by Unlawful Taking, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer announced on Friday.

John Lehman, 57, of Jackson and his co-defendant, Anthony Del Vecchio who was the former President of Holbrook Little League, pled guilty to the charge on December 2, 2019 and made full restitution at the time of his sentencing.

Del Vecchio was similarly sentenced in January to two years of non-custodial probation, 100 of community service and restitution in the amount of $63,085.41.

He also made full restitution at the time of his sentencing.

The plea agreements for Lehman and Del Vecchio was entered into with the advice, consent and approval of the Holbrook Little League Executive Board.

This now concludes the three year investigation, arrest and sentencing of Lehman and Del Vecchio which all began when the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office received information on November 27, 2017 detailing the theft of funds from the Holbrook Little League.

Their investigation found that Del Vecchio and then-Treasurer Lehman had converted more than $126,000 of the League’s funds for their personal benefit.

Del Vecchio and Lehman were the only signatories on the account and both signatures were required on all checks.

“Del Vecchio - and now Lehman - have both been made to answer for their betrayal of the faith and trust placed in them by the families that comprise the Holbrook Little League. The League has been made whole by the repayment of monies stolen, and hopefully the League will continue to grow and recover from this dark period, but these two individuals will be branded as thieves for the rest of their lives, and deservedly so,” Prosecutor Billhimer said in a statement.

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