LAGUNA HILLS : Little League Lawyer Scores Theft Suspect

An attorney representing the Mission Hills Little League issued a statement Wednesday criticizing a man who was arrested on charges of embezzling some of the league’s money but who later apologized for his act in an open letter to the ballplayers.

The attorney, Michael Wenzel, said he thinks that the league’s former treasurer, Robert Michael Norman, is only sorry that he got caught.

Norman, 46, of Laguna Hills, last month was arrested and accused of embezzling about $26,000 from the treasury of the Mission Hills Little League. The league has 867 children who play on 65 teams in Laguna Hills, Mission Viejo and Aliso Viejo. Norman, a stockbroker who has two young sons, formerly was a team manager as well as league treasurer.

In an open letter to the Little Leaguers, Norman last week acknowledged his “thievery” and expressed “profound sorrow.” Norman promised to make full restitution.

Wenzel, who has been the league’s lawyer for about 10 years, said Wednesday that Norman’s “apology to the children . . . comes only after his theft was uncovered.” The statement added that Norman’s “financial expertise . . . was put to work stealing from kids.”

“I am sure that all thieves are sorry they are caught. Mr. Norman is no exception,” Wenzel said.

Norman’s attorney, Julian Bailey, said Norman intends to plead guilty at a pretrial hearing Tuesday in Orange County Superior Court. “We’ll not have a trial,” Bailey said. “We’re working out the terms of a guilty plea.”

Bailey said Norman had been caught in financial and marital crises. Norman lost his job, and his marriage also was collapsing about the same time, Bailey said.

Wenzel said law enforcement officials will press Norman to repay all the money taken from the league. “The district attorney’s office, as well as Sheriff’s Department, are well aware of what was taken, and they will require full restitution,” Wenzel said.