A Loganville woman who was the financial director for a church in Barrow County has been accused of stealing funds from the church treasury.
Nikki Shelton, 28, was arrested on Wednesday and charged with theft by taking in connection with the missing funds from Bethlehem First United Methodist Church.
Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said church officials contacted his office and his detectives spent about a week researching the missing money.
"They came to us. We looked at the facts that they gave us, looked at [the fact] that money was missing, that their accounts were off," said Smith.
When Smith said the investigators found indications the missing money was connected to Shelton's accounts, they called her in for questioning and found enough evidence to arrest her.
He said investigators so far have determined that between $77,000 and $80,000 went missing over a 13-month time period.
"Basically, she was writing checks to herself," Smith said. "So, you're looking at several checks written, sometimes twice, maybe three times a week to her and she was cashing those checks."
Smith said Shelton was granted bond at her first court appearance, but as of Thursday afternoon, she remained in the Barrow County Detention Center.
