Former Montini coach pleads guilty to stealing money from private volleyball club
A former Montini Catholic High School volleyball coach pleaded guilty Monday to stealing money from a private volleyball club in Darien.
Stephen Dowjotas, 36, of Lisle, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of theft by deception. He was sentenced to two years of conditional discharge and ordered to pay $3,500 in restitution.
Dowjotas was charged in October 2019. According to court and police records, Dowjotas in January 2019 deposited two checks into his personal bank account from three clients of New Wave Volleyball Club/Club Fusion in Darien. But he did not forward the money to the club.
The club fired Dowjotas in March 2019 and reported the thefts to Darien police in May 2019.
Dowjotas had worked for the club for three or four years, according to a police report. The report alleged he had sold "Super Bowl Squares," where parents of players could bet on the NFL championship football game. The winners were supposed to receive credits good toward their club bills. Some parents complained they didn't receive the credits.
The police report also said Dowjotas took money from a company that ran a summer camp for the club. The club was to receive a percentage of the gross revenue from the camp, but Dowjotas had the company make the check out to him.
Dowjotas was the head of the girls volleyball program at Montini starting in February 2011. A new head coach was named in February.