He was a clubhouse klepto — and he’s never welcome back.
A former Mets clubhouse manager who stole more than $2.2 million worth of autographed uniforms, bats, and other memorabilia was sentenced to five years’ probation yesterday — and barred for life from Citi Field and all other team facilities.
Charlie Samuels, 55, must also make $50,581 in restitution payments, a Queens Supreme Court judge ordered.
“The defendant had a dream job any Mets fan would die for — and he blew it,” said Queens District Attorney Richard Brown.
When asked in court if he wanted to speak, Samuels shook his head no.
Samuels, who lives in Arverne, Queens, still claims he was given the mountains of gear “legitimately,” even though he pleaded guilty to criminal possession and tax fraud in February.
The disgraced clubhouse manager hoarded the 507 uniforms, 828 bats, 304 caps, 22 batting helmets and 10 equipment bags in a buddy’s Connecticut basement and planned to liquidate his stash once he retired.
The equipment Samuels stole had an appraised value of $2,282,265.
Among the uniforms Samuels stole was a commemorative 9/11 jersey signed by the team and another signed by the 1986 World Series championship team.
When Samuels pleaded guilty in February, he swore under oath that he didn’t have any other Mets property.
He was facing 8 1/2 to 25 years in prison if convicted at trial but could still face jail time if he violates probation or doesn’t repay all the cash.
Samuels’ attorney, Michael Bachner, told Justice Fernando Camacho that his client would be out of town regularly for business opportunities in New Jersey and Florida but didn’t elaborate on what kind of business.
The judge also told Samuels never to set foot on any Mets property — including Citi Field, the team’s minor-league park in Brooklyn and the spring-training facilities in Port St. Lucie, Fla.
When the husky Samuels pleaded guilty in February, he paid the Mets back for $24,955 worth of false meal expenses he’d filed between 2007 and 2010.
Samuels still owes $20,843 in unpaid state taxes, $14,738 in unpaid city taxes and $15,000 to the Queens DA’s Office for money spent investigating him.
Samuels began his career with the Mets in 1976 and was fired from his $80,000-a-year job in 2010 after he confessed to authorities that he bet on baseball and comped $400 Mets tickets to his mobbed-up bookies.
The DA said Samuels also failed to report or pay taxes on a total of $203,789 in gratuities from players in 2008 and ’09.