Former Mets Clubhouse Manager to Pay $75K in Restitution for Stolen Memorabilia: Queens DA

The former Mets clubhouse manager has been sentenced to five years probation, the Queens district attorney said.

But Charles Samuels, 55, will be forced to pay back more than $75,000 in restitution for the stolen property, Queens DA Richard Brown said.

Samuels, who lives in Arverne, was discovered to possess autographed jerseys, bats and baseballs and other memorabilia belonging to the Mets organization.

He was also arrested on charges of evading city and state taxes, the DA said.

“The defendant betrayed the trust of his longtime employers,” Brown said. “He had a baseball fan’s dream job, but allowed greed to get in his way. He’s now lost his job and his reputation.”

As part of a guilty plea, Samuels will pay $20,843 to the state’s Department of Taxation and Finance, $14,738 to the city’s Department of Finance, $24,955 to Sterling Mets L.P. and $15,000 in forfeiture to the Queens DA’s office.

Queens Supreme Court Judge Fernando Camacho sentenced Samuels earlier this week to five years probation, but no prison time.

The defendant is also banned from Citi Field as well as the Mets’ minor league park in Brooklyn and the team’s spring training facility in Florida.

Samuels began his career with the Mets in 1976 and became equipment manager in 1983.

He eventually went on to become its clubhouse manager and traveling secretary. He was fired in November 2010 after being charged with criminal possession of stolen property and tax fraud, the DA said.