Church Secretary Sentenced to Prison for Stealing $89K from Methodist Church
She had access to the church’s bank account because of her position.
A secretary at a Montgomery, Alabama church has been sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to eight counts of wire fraud.
Pexels / Creative Commons
Carmen Ramer Davis, 59, from Opp, Alabama, defrauded Brooklyn Congregational Methodist Church in Coffee County of more than $89,000, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Alabama.
The federal judge also ordered Davis to pay restitution to the church in the amount of $89,440.32.
According to court records and statements made in court, as church secretary, Davis had access to the bank account at Brooklyn Congregational and used her access to obtain a debit card associated with the account.
She then used the debit card to make cash withdrawals at ATMs and to buy personal items at various retailers.
She also fraudulently wrote checks from the bank account made out to herself or to cash, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. An investigation showed that Davis used some of the illicit proceeds for trips to casinos in Mississippi and Alabama.
Access to MinistryWatch content is free. However, we hope you will support our work with your prayers and financial gifts. To make a donation, click here.
Johnson began serving as secretary at Brooklyn Congregational in 2006. The fraudulent activity, which began in 2008, was not discovered until August 2019, when a church leader received a letter from the church’s bank indicating there were insufficient funds to cover a $75 check written against its account.
Soon after the church leaders discovered Davis’s fraud, the Brooklyn Congregational Methodist Church closed due to financial hardship and has not reopened.
Johnson will serve one year of supervised release following her prison term, said United States Attorney Sandra Stewart.
“The crimes committed by Ms. Davis victimized an entire faith community,” Stewart said. “The harm will continue to be felt for quite some time. I am hopeful that the sentence imposed will deter others from engaging in such deceitful conduct.”
The FBI and the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Joel Feil prosecuted the case.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Why does MinistryWatch report on financial fraud in the church? We report on them because one in three churches will be victimized, according to the Center for the Study of Global Christianity. We also report on them because these crimes have real victims and cost taxpayers and other stakeholders billions of dollars every year. Even small crimes in small churches have huge consequences. We also report on them to remind our readers that they do not have to be victims. There are steps you can take to prevent financial waste, fraud, and abuse in your church or ministry. To find out more, click here.
