Colleen A. Wiley, who allegedly stole $34,000 from three local sports organizations, pleaded not guilty to multiple charges of theft in the first and second-degree Aug. 16 during her arraignment.

Wiley is charged with 10 felony counts. The alleged thefts took place at a time when Wiley served as treasurer for the Puget Sound Junior Football Association, the Federal Way Hawks Junior Football Association and Federal Way American Little League. The charges include four counts of theft in the first degree, which are all Class B felonies carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years in jail and/or a $20,000 fine per count. Wiley was also charged with six counts of theft in the second degree, which are Class C felonies carrying a maximum five years in jail and/or a $10,000 fine on each count.

According to Federal Way Police documents, unauthorized checks were written from accounts connected with the three sports organizations. The Federal Way Hawks football program appears to be the hardest hit. According to the nearly two-month police investigation, the Hawks lost a total of $17,837.45 from unauthorized checks signed by Wiley. The Puget Sound Junior Football Association, which consists of six franchises in South King County, reported $9,241.72 in suspicious checks and Federal Way American’s total loss is $6,888.03 for a grand total of $33,967.20.

Federal Way police became involved in the investigation Feb. 23, 2009, when Klaus Nalley, commissioner of the Puget Sound Junior Football League, informed them that he found suspicious activity in the league’s checkbook, and that Wiley was the only person who had access to the checks in the league’s accounts. According to police documents, Wiley admitted during an April 15, 2009, interview with police to writing a $4,000 check to herself from the Federal Way Hawks account, and two checks from Puget Sound Junior Football Association and Federal Way American for $3,000 each.

She stated she took the money to get her home out of foreclosure, according to police documents. “She adamantly denied taking more than the $10,000 she admitted to taking for her mortgage. Her house was in foreclosure and Wiley said she used the $10,000 to get her mortgage up to date,” according to police documents.

The charges were filed over 15 months after the Federal Way Police Department forwarded a determination of probable cause to the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office with a recommendation to charge Wiley. According to Federal Way Police, the delay stems from the Prosecuting Office’s efforts to gather detailed bank records of the accounts in question.

Wiley has no criminal history. She is not to have contact with the Puget Sound Football League, Federal Way American Little League and the Federal Way Hawks football association. Wiley’s case setting hearing will take place Aug. 30.