By Reece Murphy
Daily Record
November 27, 2008
http://www.mydailyrecord.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=102469&TM=44282.75
A 71-year-old Lillington woman has been charged with stealing money from her church over the course of several years.
Mary O'Quinn Roberson of Heritage Valley in Lillington was charged for allegedly stealing a total of $33,249.04 from Mt. Ariel United Methodist Church on West N.C. 27 near Lillington.
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| Inset upper left: Roberson A former church treasurer has been charged with embezzling money since 1999 from Mt. Ariel United Methodist Church located on N.C. 27 west of Lillington. -Daily Record Photo/Tom Woerner Photo by |
"She was previously treasurer at the church, and the embezzlement occurred over a period of about eight or nine years," Harnett County Sheriff Larry Rollins said. "Of course, what she was doing was writing checks on the account for her personal use."
Mrs. Roberson was charged with one count of embezzlement by the Harnett County Sheriff's Office and 10 counts each of uttering a forged instrument and forgery of endorsement by the Lilington Police Department since the checks were cashed at Lillington banks.
Her combined total secured bond was $12,000, which she posted.
Sheriff Rollins said the arrest report indicated Mrs. Roberson had confessed her actions to the church's current treasurer. Mrs. Roberson declined comment to The Daily Record.
"So I'm assuming that probably there had been some questions about the finances and then she may have been confronted by them and that's when she admitted what she had been doing," Sheriff Rollins said.
It was not immediately clear when the alleged thefts occurred or how long it has been since Mrs. Roberson served as the church's treasurer.
The church's new pastor, the Rev. Roger Armistead, declined comment on the matter due to any pending legal actions against Mrs. Roberson.
Sheriff Rollins said his office has seen this type of embezzlement before. He said sooner or later they always get caught.
"When it comes to money, sooner or later the check comes due," Sheriff Rollins said.
Lillington Police Chief Frank Powers pretty much had the same reaction.
"You just don't do that kind of thing to begin with and you especially don't steal from the Lord," he said.
Mrs. Roberson has her next appearance in District Court set for Jan. 13.
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