Former officer pleads not guilty to little league embezzlement charges

A former San Mateo police officer has pleaded not guilty to embezzlement charges for allegedly stealing more than $100,000 from the Foster City Little League where he volunteered as the league’s treasurer, prosecutors said Wednesday.

Jeffrey Gueco Aspillera, 47, of Hayward, is accused of taking the money over a three-year period from 2016 to 2019 and using it on personal purchases, including an Apple Watch, snorkel gear and a television, according to the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office.

Aspillera had been given a credit card to pay all league-related expenses. The alleged theft was revealed last September when the league’s board elected a new treasurer and Aspillera refused to provide her with any financial records, so she went to a bank and discovered the missing funds, prosecutors said.

Aspillera made his initial appearance in court Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to the charges. He is out of custody on $75,000 bail and is set to return to court on Oct. 7. His defense attorney on Wednesday declined to comment on the allegations.