WAILUKU — A former chief executive officer of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Maui County was given a chance to keep a felony theft conviction off his record after he repaid nearly $47,000 embezzled from the nonprofit agency in 2002 and 2003, the Maui News reported today.

Jeffrey R. Arnold, 45, who now lives in Auburn, Calif., was ordered to perform 300 hours of community service as one condition of his sentence imposed Wednesday. Noting that Arnold has no prior criminal record, 2nd Circuit Judge Joel August granted Arnold's request to clear his record if he follows court requirements while being supervised for the next five years.

"While the amount taken was a substantial amount and represented what we would consider a gross breach of trust, the defendant has demonstrated his intent to make up for his action and to turn his life around by paying the full amount before sentencing," August said.

Defense attorney Mimi DesJardins said Arnold made a final payment this month to complete his repayment of $46,769 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Maui County.

He was charged with stealing the money by using agency credit cards to make unauthorized charges during a one-year period from June 2002 to December 2003, according to his indictment.

Arnold resigned as president and chief executive officer of Big Brothers Big Sisters in March 2004 after officials said evidence of accounting irregularities surfaced when agency directors reviewed an internal audit.

After being indicted on the theft charge in November 2005, Arnold was arrested the following month in Northern California. He had been free after posting $20,000 bail.

"He has taken responsibility for this situation," DesJardins said in court Wednesday. "He has shown remorse."

Arnold said he had apologized in letters to the court and to the agency board of directors.

"I hope you will offer me this opportunity to prove to you that it will never happen again," he said.

Originally charged with first-degree theft, Arnold was allowed to plead no contest to a reduced charge of second-degree theft. In exchange for his plea, the prosecution agreed not to seek a jail term for Arnold and not to oppose his request for a chance to keep the theft charge off his record.

DesJardins said Arnold would have to pay back relatives who loaned him the money that he needed to repay Big Brothers Big Sisters of Maui County.

Deputy Prosecutor Carson Tani asked the judge to order Arnold to perform 300 hours of community service.

"That might be an appropriate amount, given the facts and circumstances of this case," Tani said.

In a statement after the sentencing, Melissa Ross, executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Maui County, said: "The agency is extremely happy that the trial is done and case has been resolved. There are so many wonderful things happening with BBBS, the Jeff Arnold case was a looming cloud - that now obviously has cleared and we can all move forward."

Big Brothers Big Sisters matches children ages 6 to 15 with adult mentors.

More Maui News at www.mauinews.com.