LINCOLN COUNTY, N.C. — A local man who once led a nonprofit dedicated to helping families cover youth activity costs is now headed to prison after admitting he drained the charity’s accounts to fund a years-long online gambling habit.
Kevin Joe Turner, 51, of Lincolnton, pleaded guilty in Lincoln County Superior Court to three felony counts of embezzlement, each involving more than $100,000. A judge sentenced him to serve between four years and eight months and seven years in state prison, according to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.
How the scheme was uncovered
Turner served as president and sole principal of L-Town Charities, a Denver, North Carolina-based nonprofit that launched in January 2023. The organization gave parents a way to raise money for kids involved in dance, sports, and other extracurricular programs, helping offset registration and equipment costs.
The trouble came to light after board members noticed something was off with the group’s bank records.
Investigators say the discovery followed a wave of complaints from volunteers and vendors who had not been paid for fundraising events the charity organized. Those complaints triggered an internal financial audit, which exposed the missing funds and led to Turner’s arrest in March 2025.
Where the money actually went
According to authorities, Turner used the charity’s bank card over two years to rack up more than $400,000 in online sports betting and casino-style wagers. That figure covered gambling losses alone. Investigators say he also made other unauthorized purchases with the nonprofit’s funds that had nothing to do with its mission.
Key details from the case include:
- Turner held the title of president and was the charity’s sole listed agent
- The misuse of funds spanned roughly two years before it was caught
- Board members and an internal audit, not police, first flagged the irregularities
- Prosecutors secured three separate felony counts, each tied to embezzlement exceeding $100,000
- He entered his guilty plea and was convicted on June 30
L-Town Charities was meant to ease the financial burden on families whose children take part in youth sports and dance programs, activities that often come with steep costs for uniforms, travel and league fees. Instead, parents and community members who trusted the organization with donations and fundraising proceeds saw that the money was funneled into online betting accounts.
Lincoln County sits about 35 miles northwest of uptown Charlotte. The Sheriff’s Office said the case serves as a reminder for nonprofit boards to closely monitor financial activity, especially when one person controls both the accounts and the organization’s day-to-day operations.
No word yet on whether L-Town Charities plans to continue operating or whether it will be restructured under new leadership following Turner’s sentencing.
