BENTONVILLE — A former church treasurer admitted stealing thousands of dollars from Twelve Corners Baptist Church.
Catherine Spivey, 43, of Pea Ridge pleaded guilty Thursday to theft of property, a Class B felony punishable with a prison sentence ranging from five to 20 years.
Spivey’s plea is without the benefit of a plea agreement, so her punishment will be up to Circuit Judge Jon Comstock.
Spivey agreed Thursday to pay $31,446 in restitution as a condition of the plea agreement.
She was arrested April 13, 2011.
Benton County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Jeff Robbins was called to the Pea Ridge church about Spivey taking money from the church for her personal use. It was suspected the thefts had been happening since Spivey was hired in 2006, according to an affidavit of probable cause.
Pastor Rick Booyer told Geovanni Serrano, an investigator with the Sheriff’s Office, he began noticing discrepancies with his retirement plan’s year-end report, according to court documents. Payments weren’t made on the plan, but the church’s reports showed payments had been made.
Booyer said he talked to Spivey about the discrepancies, and she told him she would take care of the matter, according to court documents.
The affidavit said Booyer and another church member began monitoring the monthly reports more closely. Booyer reported in March 2011 he received an insufficient funds notice from his bank. He asked Spivey about it, and she said she would take care of the matter, according to court documents.
Booyer also reported in April several discrepancies were noted in a monthly report Spivey provided church members, according to the affidavit.
Spivey and her husband met with Booyer on April 4 where she confessed she had embezzled money from the church. She admitted to writing checks to herself and also to taking cash, but she couldn’t remember how much money she had taken, according to court documents.
Circuit Judge Jon Comstock ordered the local probation office to do a presentencing investigation. Catherine Spivey’s sentencing is set for Aug. 15.