Treasurer accused of stealing $66K from McHenry youth baseball league

A woman is facing multiple felony charges after she allegedly forged documents and stole more than $66,000 from a youth baseball association in northwest suburban McHenry while she served as the league’s treasurer.

Kelly M. Ference, 32, of McHenry, was taken into custody Saturday and charged with felony counts of forgery and theft, according to McHenry police and the McHenry County sheriff’s office.

On Aug. 23, the McHenry Baseball Association reported discrepancies with their bank accounts, including a large amount of money that wasn’t paid to the league’s vendors in the past two years, police said.

Ference was the league’s treasurer at the time of the discrepancies, police said. An investigation found she forged documents and siphoned off more than $66,000 belonging to the league.

Ference is being held at the McHenry County Jail in lieu of posting $7,500 bond, the sheriff’s office said. Her next court date was set for Dec. 13.

A representative for the McHenry Baseball Association didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.