KEW GARDENS — The former longtime clubhouse manager of the New York Mets pleaded guilty in Queens Supreme Court Tuesday to stealing $2.3 million in Mets memorabilia, but will not face jail time as part of his plea agreement, District Attorney Richard Brown said.
Charlie Samuels, 55, of Arverne, began his career with the Mets in 1976, was made equipment manager in 1983 and was promoted to clubhouse manager and traveling secretary before being fired by the Mets in November 2010 after his scheme came to light, Brown said.
Samuels admitted to illegally possessing hundreds of autographed and unsigned Mets jerseys, baseballs, bats, helmets and other equipment between September and November 2007 that had been stolen from the Mets, Brown said.
The property was recovered in November 2010 from a Connecticut home belong to a friend of the Rockaway resident, Brown said.
“In sum, the defendant had a dream job that any Mets fan would die for — and he blew it,” Brown said in a statement. “He allowed his greed to get the better of him.”
Samuels pleaded guilty Tuesday to criminal possession of stolen property and criminal tax fraud before Queens Supreme Court Judge Barry Kron, the DA said.
As part of the plea agreement, Samuels is expected to be sentenced to five years’ probation, pay $20,843 to the city Department of Taxation and Finance, cough up $14,738.35 to the city Department of Finance, pay $24,955 to the Mets and forfeit $15,000 to the DA’s office, Brown said.
