Fallbrook

The leader of Fallbrook’s youth soccer program has pleaded guilty to embezzling $13,000 raised to build a new soccer complex.

Joe Don McDowell faces a maximum of three years in state prison when he is sentenced Oct. 21, Deputy Dist. Atty. Dominic Dugo said Thursday.

As part of a plea bargain agreement, McDowell, 22, admitted Tuesday before Vista Municipal Court Judge Suzanne Knauf that he took the $13,000. The league raised the money through candy sales in hopes of building a new soccer stadium.

In exchange for the guilty plea, Dugo agreed to drop a second embezzlement count alleging McDowell took another $8,000 from the treasury of the Fallbrook Youth Soccer League. McDowell is suspected of writing checks to himself on the league’s account and then depositing them in his personal bank account.

Dugo said all the money is missing. Although officials are unsure what McDowell used the cash for, witnesses have said the soccer league president took several trips to Mexico in the months before his arrest in April, Dugo said.

McDowell, who is free without having to post bail, has said through his attorney that he should be able to raise the money he took within the next four months, but has not explained how, Dugo said. Neither McDowell nor his attorney, Bradley Patton, could be reached for comment.