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We are one month away from hearing the sentencing in this federal criminal case against a former GPS employee. Twenty years seems like a long time to serve unless you thought you were hiding some major crimes. I wonder if the FBI computer forensic examiners were able to retrieve any of the emails/data/files.

Does anyone have any inside scoop on who this guy is(was) and what is role was in GPS? Or who he was protecting by deleting the emails?

https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/scottish-man-pleads-guilty-obstruction-justice

BOSTON – A Scottish man who was previously employed by Global Premier Soccer LLC (GPS), a youth soccer organization, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to obstructing justice.

Gavin MacPhee, 34, pleaded guilty to one count of destruction, alteration, or falsification of records in a federal investigation. U.S. District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock scheduled sentencing for Sept. 21, 2020.

MacPhee used his access to GPS’s information technology platform to delete an email account and other files related to an ongoing criminal investigation. A search at GPS’s corporate headquarters was executed in October 2019. Thereafter, with full knowledge of the federal investigation and the relevance of those materials, MacPhee deleted at least one email account for an individual who had since left the company, and with whom he had a close relationship.

The charging statute provides for a sentence of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Here's an article in a UK paper that has a picture of the guy:
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/kids-footie-scot-faces-20-22072979.amp

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Looks like it was not just Dept of Justice but also Dept of Homeland Security, Dept of Labor and Dept of State involved. yeesh.

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Relevance to SC Forum?

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Was GPS not involved in soccer in SC?

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I read that article months ago. Gps doesn’t exist anymore. Not sure of any relevance.

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Originally Posted By: mysonsdad
I read that article months ago. Gps doesn’t exist anymore. Not sure of any relevance.

You are correct that GPS doesn't exist anymore. But the people who used to work for GPS do, which is the point of bringing attention to it. Indeed, the Federal prosecutors said that GPS was not a target of the criminal investigation. The man who pled guilty, Gavin MacPhee, did not commit the crime to protect GPS. He did it to protect other people.

The "Background" section (item number 17) in the GPS v Surf lawsuit states "On or about December 5, 2019, Defendant (Andrew) Prosser wrongfully instructed asubordinate at GPS to delete his email account..." Was that disputed in the civil suit? If so, what other "individual" directed Mr. MacPhee to delete the emails? If not, that Background item may hold a clue to the potential fallout of the Obstruction of Justice case.

To be clear, I agree with those who say that the GPS v Surf civil lawsuit is totally separate. That case was settled out of court already, and though the bankruptcy trustee(s) may still be handling the non-competes along with the other assets and liabilities of GPS, I agree that THAT case may not have further relevancy to this message board.

The Obstruction of Justice case is, however, very relevant. Not just to parents and coaches of children who follow this message board, but also to board members and directors in the event that federal agents discover the identity of anyone Mr. MacPhee was protecting and those people are involved in some way in South Carolina youth soccer. Have parents and board members asked the appropriate questions of our clubs' decision makers? I hope so, because there are former GPS employees involved, directly and indirectly, with several SC clubs. Some of those former GPS employees seem to be decent characters. It is important not to blame them for the criminality of others.

Hopefully, in the effort to reduce his sentence of up to 20 years in prison, Gavin MacPhee has provided information to the federal authorities about those he attempted to protect so that we can be sure that any other criminals are not involved with youth soccer in our state; or our country. And if some people contend that discussing the security and safety of our children is not relevant on a SC youth soccer board, perhaps it's time that those people re-evaluate their priorities.

Twenty-nine days until we know more.

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I guess I am guilty,,, I don’t think that my children’s safety is in any way affected by a foreign national who lived and worked in Massachusetts and was employed by a now non-existent company. I trust that my kids will be ok. As you said,,, there are ex gps coaches at several clubs. Most are decent people. Heck,,To be honest, I’m worried less about a guy who deleted some emails than I am about a mad man running around with a camera,,,, emailing pictures of people without a mask on and trying to publicly shame them... but that’s just me!

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Curious opinions, but your it's right to have them.

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Originally Posted By: mysonsdad
I guess I am guilty,,, I don’t think that my children’s safety is in any way affected by a foreign national who lived and worked in Massachusetts and was employed by a now non-existent company. I trust that my kids will be ok. As you said,,, there are ex gps coaches at several clubs. Most are decent people. Heck,,To be honest, I’m worried less about a guy who deleted some emails than I am about a mad man running around with a camera,,,, emailing pictures of people without a mask on and trying to publicly shame them... but that’s just me!


Too easy of a target as said mad man is seriously lacking in the people skills department!

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Two weeks until we find out his sentence.

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