Grace no longer Konawaena softball coach

KAILUA-KONA — Shellie Grace is no longer with the Konawaena girls softball team.

Grace — who has been the head coach for the Wildcats since 2012 — was handed a six-month jail sentence earlier this month after pleading guilty to theft and failure to pay taxes in connection to a real estate business she operated from 2010-14.

Grace had previously been with the team for the regular season, despite her ongoing case. She is to report on June 1 for her sentence, which allowed her the opportunity to support the softball team as it goes through the playoffs and start working on paying off restitution to the victims.

But athletic director Kellye Krug said on Friday she will assume the head coaching position until the end of the season.

“We have made some changes and now I am coach and she is a mom,” Krug said, mentioning that the school had no comment on Grace’s legal situation or why the change took place at this point in the season.

The Wildcats are seeking their first league title since 2011 and have already have a spot locked up in the state tournament, which runs from May 3-6 on Oahu.

Along with jail time, Grace will be required to pay approximately $130,000 in restitution to the 19 individuals affected by her business dealings while she operated the now defunct Elite Property Management Services, LLC.

Grace pleaded guilty to one count first-degree theft, a Class B felony, and five misdemeanor counts of willful failure to file tax returns as part of a plea agreement during a Jan. 26 hearing.

Grace was indicted in October 2016. In the 13-count indictment filed against her and her company, prosecutors alleged taxes were not paid from 2010-14, owners of the properties she was managing were not reimbursed and general excise taxes and/or transient accommodation taxes for some of the properties were not paid.

Grace did not return a call for comment Friday.