A Dublin woman finds herself in the grasp of the law after being charged with theft by deception. Heather Browning, 35, was arrested yesterday and accused of misappropriating funds from Cedar Grove Methodist Church, where she served as treasurer, and exploiting her position as Clerk for the City of Dublin.
According to a statement released by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), the alarm was first raised when the church's missing funds were reported. The investigation, which the GBI undertook at the request of the Laurens County Sheriff's Office, alleges that Browning breached the trust placed in her by church members by writing and then cashing checks from the church's bank accounts without authorization.
The GBI has booked Browning into the Laurens County Detention Center. The agency's statement detailed the charges but did not disclose the amount of money Browning is accused of taking from the church accounts.
With this investigation still being active and ongoing, the GBI encourages anyone with information to step forward. Tips can be shared anonymously by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), submitting them online through the GBI's tips webpage, or by using the "See Something, Send Something" mobile app. After the investigation wraps up, the case will be handed over the Dublin Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office, who will decide on the course of prosecution.
