Hearing for embattled hockey coach continued

MAT-SU — A trial call for a longtime Mat-Su Borough teacher and hockey coach has been continued to mid-September.

That’s the result of what was to be a trial call hearing Monday morning for James “Jamie” Donald Smith Jr., who’s accused of defrauding the Alaska Avalanche Junior A hockey program’s booster club of more than $48,000. Instead, Superior Court Judge Vanessa White delayed the hearing until Sept. 16.

The move was another delay in the on-again, off-again proceedings against Smith, who was initially charged in February with five felonies. Those include two counts of second-degree forgery of legal documents, first-degree theft greater than $25,000, scheme to defraud more than $10,000 and fraudulent use of an access device greater than $25,000.

A couple months after being charged, it seemed that Smith’s defense attorney and state prosecutors had reached a deal, and an April trial call was called off and a hearing for Smith to change his plea to not guilty and sentencing was set for June 7. But at that hearing, Smith changed lawyers — he’s now represented by Palmer attorney Joshua Fannon — and the plea hearing was cancelled.

After that June hearing, Fannon said he and Smith were looking forward to their day in court.

“From what I’ve seen so far, I can’t see he did anything wrong,” Fannon said in June. “I always intend on going to trial until I believe there isn’t (an alternative).”

Smith is a 1984 graduate of Wasilla High School and teaches at Mat-Su Career and Technical High School. He’s also the current head coach of the Colony High School hockey program, and has a long history with Valley hockey. The charges focus on time Smith spent as a coach and in multiple front office positions with the Alaska Avalanche from 2005 to 2009, including president of the Spirit Booster Club.

He’s also spent 16 years as coach of the Houston High hockey program, where he won six Greatland Conference titles and five Class 3A state championships.

The Alaska Avalanche franchise was sold following the 2011-12 season and moved to Johnstown, Penn., where it now operates as the Johnstown Tomahawks.

As for Smith’s standing with the Mat-Su Borough School District, Katherine Gardner, the district’s human resources manager, has said throughout the process that he remains an active teacher and coach as his case makes its way through the judicial system. Smith is also listed on the Mat-Su Career and Technical High School website as an active teacher.

Contact Greg Johnson at 352-2269 or greg.johnson@frontiersman.com.