A 55-year-old James City County woman is suspected of embezzling thousands of dollars from Chickahominy Baptist Church during her time as the church’s treasurer.
Alice Rebecca Wilson was arrested by the James City County Police Department on Tuesday after investigators determined she had embezzled more than $4,800 from the church from sometime in 2013 through February, said Stephanie Williams-Ortery of the James City County Police Department.
Wilson used part of the church to run her daycare business, Alice’s Wonderland. Williams-Ortery said she had an agreement with the church to pay utility bills from her personal funds in exchange for using the church’s space. Instead, she is believed to have used the church’s checking account to pay the bills.
“She said there was a miscommunication and that she didn’t understand she was supposed to pay the utility bills,” Wiliams-Ortery said.
The church’s pastor was contacted by the Internal Revenue Service in January regarding back taxes, at which point he began to investigate the church’s finances. He discovered the utility bill payments during that investigation, prompting him to approach Wilson, Williams-Ortery said.
Wilson then wrote a letter to the church agreeing to pay back $3,049.70. The church and investigators believe Wilson embezzled more than $4,800. Wilson had access to the church’s safe where cash is stored, but it is unclear whether she took any money from the safe.
The investigation into the alleged embezzlement is ongoing. Wilson faces one felony count of embezzlement, however that could change as the investigation progresses, Williams-Ortery said. She is believed to have acted alone.