Watertown man charged in alleged $19,597 theft from Cub Scout pack
Police allege a Watertown man stole $19,597.60 from Cub Scout Pack 496 between January 2022 and March 2026 while serving as the pack’s leader.
By Caleb Mercer, ClickNNY North Country Desk
Charles Hartley, 45, of Watertown, faces a felony charge of third-degree grand larceny after police allege he took $19,597.60 from Cub Scout Pack 496 over more than four years.
Hartley turned himself in to Watertown police on a Friday and was charged with one felony count. Police allege the money was taken between January 2022 and March 2026, while Hartley was serving as the pack’s Cub Scout leader.
The allegations involve money raised through pack fundraisers. Police said the money was either withdrawn from the pack’s bank account for Hartley’s own purposes or deposited into his personal account and spent. Police said they did not know what the money was used for.
A Cub Scout official discovered the missing funds in May after the pack could not pay vendors for a fundraiser, according to police. Hartley was arraigned in Watertown City Court and released, although another account described him as being held pending arraignment. The court status should be confirmed before publication.
The charge is an accusation. Hartley has not been found guilty.
The Scouting America Longhouse Council lists a Family Pack 0496 in Watertown. The council’s Watertown field office is at 800 Starbuck Avenue and can be reached at (315) 427-1467. The council said it served 2,377 young people across six counties in 2025.
A next court date and additional comment from the pack or the Longhouse Council should be confirmed through the appropriate officials.
Reported by ClickNNY and reviewed by an editor before publication.
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