The former manager of the pro shop at the Elkhorn Golf Course in Stockton has been arraigned on embezzlement charges, the second golf-related case of its kind this month, authorities said.
Mykal Parsons, 44, was charged with grand theft and embezzlement following an investigation, according to the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s office.
Parsons’ case follows an arraignment the previous week of Joseph Smith, former executive director of First Tee, a Stockton nonprofit aimed at empowering youth through the game of golf.
Smith faces charges of embezzlement, grand theft over $950 and four counts of forgery. The exact amount of missing money in the case was not disclosed.
Rosie Calderon, spokesperson for the district attorney’s office, said both cases are still under investigation and prosecutors are “not speculating on any link between these cases.”
Heather Brent, a spokesperson for the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, said she did not believe the Parsons and Smith cases have any connection.
The Sheriff’s Office said the investigation into Parsons began in November when deputies were contacted by the golf club regarding $147,000 in missing cash receipts between 2022 and 2024. Detectives said they focused on Parsons, who was a golf pro at the club during that time. An arrest warrant was issued May 8.
Parsons’ next court date is set for June 11.
“This case represents a significant breach of trust, and our office is committed to holding those who exploit their positions for personal gain accountable. We will pursue justice to ensure the victims are heard and restitution is sought,” District Attorney Ron Freitas said in a statement.
The Parsons case comes as prosecutors focus separately on Smith, who is accused of absconding with funds from his program that were “intended to support these vulnerable children,” according to the district attorney’s office.
At the time of his appointment to First Tee, Smith was described as a native Stocktonian who had become a golf pro, Caravan News reported at the time.
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