The former president of a local nonprofit was charged with embezzlement after allegedly using the agency's money to purchase basketball tickets.

Troy D. Young, 47, of 10141 Gibson Road, Laurel Hill turned himself in at the Scotland County Courthouse on Wednesday and was charged with embezzlement by a public official and trustee and corporate malfeasance, according to warrants. He was released on a written promise to appear for court. His first appearance is scheduled for Friday.

Young is the former board president of Child Care Directions, Inc.

Warrants were also served last week on the agency's former executive director of Child Care Directions Sandy Hamby Carter. She is accused of embezzling more than $10,000.

Carter, 51, of 10041 Academy Road, Laurinburg, was charged Friday with two counts each of embezzlement by a public official and trustee and corporate malfeasance. She was released on a written promise to appear for court. Her first appearance before a judge was Tuesday. Her next scheduled court appearance is Aug. 25.

Carter is accused of depositing $10,500 into Tidyco Company from the coffers of Child Care Directions without board approval sometime between June 1, 2009 and Sept. 24, 2009. It is unclear what Tidyco Company does. Young has not been charged in that incident.

Carter and Young are both accused of using $228.15 in the agency's money to purchase basketball tickets from StubHub.com sometime between Feb. 11 and March 10, 2009, according to warrants issued on May 27.

Carter and Young left the agency after a board meeting on Oct. 7. The agency, Carter and Young have never explained the sudden exit from the nonprofit, raising many questions about the circumstances in the community.

Partnership for Children in Robeson County performed an investigation few weeks after the sudden departure of Carter and Young. The inquiry ended with the Partnership pulling about $300,000 from the Child Care Directions' satellite office in Lumberton.

Jennifer Lowery, Partnership's executive director, said that the money was pulled for failure to adhere to an action plan meant to correct financial deficiencies and possible misappropriation of Smart Start funds. Included in the plan was a request for the Laurinburg-based child services agency to repay more than $12,000.

Investigation

Capt. Kim Monroe, LPD, said he was not at liberty to discuss the investigation, even which agencies may be involved in the matter. He directed any further questions to the District Attorney's Office.

District Attorney Kristy Newton could not be reached for comment.

Young declined to comment on the charges.

Carter also declined to comment, but her attorney, R. Michael Schmidt, III released a written statement defending Carter last week.

"Regarding any business decisions Mrs. Carter made over which differences of opinion may exist, we will scrutinize them in an appropriate manner within the court system," Schmidt said.

The statement made no mention of Carter's guilt or innocence in any of the charges brought against her.

He also said that the nonprofit's budget grew more than 10 fold with her at the reigns and credited her seven years of service to Child Care Directions with expanding the agency.

Schmidt filed a motion of discovery on Carter's behalf requesting copies of all evidence collected thus far on the four charges against her.

Child Care Directions officials declined to discuss the arrests. There was sign on the agency's door Wednesday morning that said the office has "no comment on Sandy Carter."

Young served in the army for five years and spent 16 years as a private contractor. He currently works as an independent insurance agent.

Young served on the Child Care Direction board since November 2004. He is also a former chairman of the Republican Party of Scotland County.

Carter is currently president of the Pilot Club. She has been an active member of the Scotland County Republican Party, running for Clerk of Superior Court against Philip McRae, the current clerk.

Child Care Directions, Inc. is a non-profit child care resource and referral agency that was established in 1985.

Their mission is "to expand the availability of child care and to improve the quality of child care in our service area so that all children in the community will have an opportunity for healthy early childhood development."

The nonprofit is funded through private donations and federal and state grants.