Smith pleads ‘not guilty’ to felony theft, forgery charges

PALMER — A longtime Valley hockey coach and teacher made his first appearance in court Monday, pleading not guilty to charges of forgery and theft.

According to court documents, James “Jamie” Smith Jr. entered his plea, but was not scheduled for a trial or a second hearing.

He is alleged to have taken $48,000 from the Alaska Avalanche Junior A program’s booster club, the Spirit Booster Club. The charges relate to the pull-tab gambling operation of the club.

“The state alleges that Mr. Smith forged signatures and documents for charitable gaming permits between June 2008 and December 2009. After being granted a gaming permit for the Spirit Booster Club based on the forged documents, Mr. Smith used the proceeds from the gaming activities to fund his own for-profit venture, the Alaska Avalanche Hockey Club,” according to a memo Assistant Attorney General Michael C. Geraghty filed in the case.

Smith is charged with forging legal documents, theft, scheming to defraud and fraudulent use of an access device. All of those charges are felonies.

Smith has been involved with the Junior Avalanche youth hockey association — not affiliated with the Alaska Avalanche — since 1993 and is currently that organization’s coaching director, a non-voting board position.

Smith coached and served in multiple front office positions with the Alaska Avalanche from 2005 through 2009, including serving as president of the Sprit Booster Club. Before that he had a 16-year stint as Houston High School hockey coach, where he guided the Hawks program to six Greatland Conference titles and five Class 3A state hockey championships.

He is a teacher at Mat-Su Career and Technical High School and head coach of the Colony High School hockey program.