Authorities have accused a former administrative assistant at an Arizona church of stealing approximately $335,000 from the congregation over five years.
Photo via Gracepointe Church website / Photo edited in Canva / Insert of Tracey Jorgensen
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department arrested Tracey Lynn Jorgensen, 61, on July 23 after a yearlong investigation into financial discrepancies at GracePointe Church in Tucson. Jorgensen served as the church’s administrative assistant but also handled its financial duties, including payroll.
In a news release, the sheriff’s department said church board members reported suspected financial misconduct in April 2025. Investigators subpoenaed bank records and found reason to believe that Jorgensen misused church funds between 2020 and 2025 while managing the church’s finances.
Jorgensen was booked on suspicion of fraudulent schemes and felonious theft. Court records filed Aug. 11 list six Class 2 and Class 3 felony theft charges.
An archived version of GracePointe’s staff page listed Jorgensen as the church’s administrative assistant. The page said GracePointe is elder-led, with a three-member elder board serving alongside Lead Pastor Gabriel Poncé.
An interim criminal complaint obtained by KOLD — along with additional court documents reviewed by KVOA — provided more detail. Jorgensen allegedly deposited church money and checks into three personal USAA bank accounts. Court documents show the first fraudulent check was written Nov. 4, 2020, for $3,100, and that the total eventually reached $356,331.52 — higher than the amount initially reported by authorities.
During a July 23 interview with detectives, Jorgensen acknowledged taking money but said she didn’t realize the total amount, according to court documents. Authorities released her to pretrial services.
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GracePointe previously told ChurchLeaders that the discrepancies were discovered while the church was “updating and improving” its handling of financial responsibilities. The church said its congregation had been “grievously sinned against” and that it had cooperated with investigators.
Jorgensen allegedly had access to church funds for five years before the discrepancies were discovered, according to investigators. It is unclear what financial controls or review procedures GracePointe had in place during that period.
MinistryWatch reached out to Pastor Poncé and GracePointe’s elders seeking additional information about the church’s financial controls, when leaders first noticed irregularities, and what safeguards have since been implemented. They did not respond as of publication.
The investigation remains ongoing. Jorgensen’s preliminary hearing was held Wednesday, Aug. 12; the outcome had not been made public as of this article’s publication.
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