Texas soccer coach accused of using school credit card at strip club

A former assistant coach of a Texas high school is accused of using the school district’s credit card to charge more than $5,000 at a Houston strip club, according to authorities.

JD Bales, a former employee of the Bridgeport Independent School District, was arrested in mid-December and charged with theft of property $2,500 to $30,000 enhanced—which is a third-degree felony—as reported by The Wise County Messenger.

A recent story from The Wise County Messenger detailed the Bales’ actions and the charges he faced. Below is an excerpt from The Wise County Messenger story.

In September, Stanford told the Messenger Bales is accused of charging $5,455.81 on a district credit card at a strip club—The Men’s Club of Houston—while attending a coaching clinic.

Following the investigation, Bridgeport Police Chief Steve Stanford said the case was submitted to the Wise County District Attorney for review and potential indictment.

“During the investigation, which included information that Bales had formerly claimed the charge was fraudulent (with both the school and the financial institution), investigators discovered evidence indicating a criminal offense occurred,” Stanford said in a written statement announcing the arrest Saturday. “…Bales eventually submitted payment for the charge. However, due to the overwhelming evidence in the case (most importantly the case involved taxpayer money), I believed it was prudent to submit the case to the Wise County District Attorney.”

To read the full story from The Wise County Messenger about the Texas coach using a school credit card at a strip club, click here.