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Sheriff investigates ag boosters’ missing funds

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The Cyber and Financial Crimes Unit of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the disappearance of nearly $40,000 from the Ramona Ag Boosters Club, said a sheriff’s lieutenant.

“We’ve received report of a crime affecting these folks and it now resides with our unit,” Lt. Greg Rylaarsdam said. No suspect had been identified, he said on Tuesday.

Between April 8, 2015, and March 15, $39,807 was drained from the nonprofit organization’s account, according to the report with the sheriff’s Ramona station.

Rylaarsdam, who formerly worked at the Ramona station, said they would like to get the case solved quickly and the money back for the youths, but added, “Once money is gone, in my experience it’s gone.”

Noting he is a former 4-H’er, the lieutenant said, “I know how important those funds are to these youth organizations.”

Ramona Ag Boosters is a nonprofit organization that is a support system for manpower and financial need for Future Farmers of America (FFA) at Ramona High School and 4-H clubs of Ramona, explained Alyson Tulloch, Ramona High ag teacher and FFA adviser.

Tulloch said the Ag Boosters Club is not associated with the school district, and neither she nor the district are involved in the investigation.

The loss of funds, she said, will be a blow to students in the agricultural programs.

“The ag boosters are a tremendous help to the FFA and 4-H students in Ramona,” Tulloch said in an email. “Their contributions have provided college scholarships to students, enabled more FFA students to experience leadership conferences, made improvements to our school farm, provided manpower and cooking help for FFA events, and been there to provide financial backing when our FFA chapter has needed it. This loss is a huge impact to the kids, not only now but for the future.

“The single biggest contribution the ag boosters have is making opportunities accessible to more students and I can’t thank them enough for that. They’ve opened the doors for so many more kids. I can credit some of our chapter’s recent success to their assistance by allowing more students exposure to character-building leadership activities. If the funds are not restored, there will be fewer students able to participate in the leadership conferences, no financial assistance for college, and opportunities lost for the students in our FFA and 4-H programs in Ramona.”

Tulloch said she hopes justice is served and funds are restored because “our kids depend on it.”

The Sentinel was unable to contact anyone with the Ramona Ag Boosters for comment.

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