After months of investigations and more than a dozen complaints, a former Green Valley golf cart business owner has been indicted, but a warrant was issued for him Friday when he failed to show up to his arraignment in Pima County Superior Court.
Details of the indictment haven't been released, but Pima County Sheriff's Detective Santiago Hernandez has indicated in the past he intended to see multiple felony theft charges against Jack Roth, the most serious carrying a maximum prison sentence of 10 years.
A spokeswoman for the Pima County Attorney's Office said a failure to appear warrant was issued Friday afternoon for Roth and bond has been set at $20,000 should he be arrested on it.
Hernandez began investigating Roth, owner of Valley Golf Cars on Abrego Drive, in August after a Green Valley resident reported having given Roth money to purchase golf carts as an investment but was never paid after the vehicles were sold.
Roughly 20 others came forward with similar stories, but several later decided not to pursue charges for various reasons, Hernandez said. The 15 seeking Roth's prosecution lost a combined amount of at least $500,000, Hernandez said.
According to PCSD reports obtained by the Green Valley News, Roth spoke with authorities by phone and text in late August and early September.
At the time, Roth said he was in the process of selling his business and intended to repay all of his investors, a PCSD report stated. Roth then met with detectives Sept. 11 and Nov. 1. During the interviews, Roth acknowledged owing investors tens of thousands of dollars.
"Roth stated he knew what he did was wrong and illegal. He did not pass blame on to anyone else," Hernandez wrote following the Sept. 11 meeting.
Roth told Hernandez he began an affair with an employee after he discovered she'd embezzled up to $9,000 from him and said over the course of the last seven years he has loaned her $800,000.
At various times he has asked her to repay him large sums of money but she's never followed through, Roth told Hernandez.
Hernandez tried to book Roth into Pima County jail in September, but jail officials rejected Roth because his blood pressure was too high, Hernandez said.Â
After completing his investigation, authorities sought to arrest him again, but couldn't find him for several weeks.
Roth was arrested in March at Desert Diamond Casino after he was spotted by casino security officers.Â
Roth, who said he didn't know law enforcement was looking for him, was booked into Pima County jail and later released on his own recognizance.
Hernandez has said he didn't ask the judge to set bond for Roth because he has been cooperative, he has confessed and he has no criminal history. In addition, he is an older gentleman and has no money. A judge likely wouldn't have set one for him, Hernandez said.
Roth is facing at least two civil lawsuits from people who claim he defrauded them.
Green Valley-based Gotta Go Golf Carts, which has no connection to Roth or Valley Golf Cars, has purchased the building on Abrego and is open for business.Â
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