Former youth football coach accused of stealing thousands of dollars from league sentenced to prison

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) – A former Genoa youth football coach who police say stole thousands of dollars from the league for personal use has been sentenced to two years probation and 30 days in the Ottawa County Detention Center.

According to court records, Phil Antry pleaded guilty to a charge of theft, previously amended to grand theft, in Ottawa County on July 1.

Court records show Antry was sentenced to 30 days in the Ottawa County Detention Facility, two years' probation, 100 hours of community service, and must complete an ethics or fiduciary duty course and pay restitution.

Clay Township police say he stole at least $20,000 from the Genoa Little Comets football league for his own use. Police Chief Terry Mitchell told 13 Action News he first became aware of the theft in October 2022.

One of the league's founders, Tom Wojciechowski, reported suspicious activity on the team's account. He told 13 Action News earlier this year that while watching his grandson play, he noticed the equipment was outdated, entry fees had been raised and the number of kids participating had decreased.

“We were going with the season and needed a few things, but he kept saying he couldn't get them,” Wojciechowski said. “He couldn't get the things, he couldn't get anything we needed. He said it just wasn't available, but we were able to find it online with no problem, so we ended up just buying it.”

Wojciechowski obtained copies of the account statements from another co-signer of the account.

“Then I saw it right there and I just thought, 'Oh my God.' At that point I turned it over to the police,” Wojciechowski said.

According to police, the investigation revealed purchases of all kinds, from fast food to ATMs, as well as numerous transactions through PayPal, Venmo, Amazon and more.

Antry, a former 13abc employee, was charged in January 2024. He was in charge of the Genoa Little Comets for more than five years.

Wojciechowski told us earlier this year that while the league was based on trust, he has since restructured it to avoid such incidents in the future. The league is now a state-registered nonprofit organization.

Watch the first report in the video below.

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