Unholy Embezzlement: Former Church Administrator Sentenced to 5 Years for Stealing $360,000 from Congregation

In a shocking case of financial deception, Chanell Easton, the wife of a former police chief in California, has been sentenced to five years in prison for embezzling a staggering $360,000 from her church congregation. As an administrator at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church in Yuba City, Easton exploited her position of trust to siphon funds from various accounts, including the church’s food pantry and youth group, over a five-year period.

Easton’s brazen scheme involved using church credit cards for personal expenses, such as holiday rentals and retail trips, leaving the congregation with a significant financial shortfall. Her actions were only discovered after she left the church, prompting a lengthy and exhausting investigation. Despite her claims of an abusive upbringing and expressions of regret, Easton’s actions demonstrate a calculated disregard for the trust placed in her. The church has since implemented robust checks and balances to prevent similar incidents. Easton’s sentence serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of exploiting positions of trust for personal gain.

St Andrew Presbyterian church released a statement in 2022 saying it first became aware of the missing funds shortly after Easton had stopped working for the church.

“This has been a long, tiring and frustrating process,” stated the church, adding that “multifaceted systems of checks and balances, controls and accountability have been a top priority and have been set in place since Chanell left.”

In a letter to US District Judge John A. Mendez in advance of sentencing, Easton said she had “deep regret” for her criminal behaviour, claiming that she had had an abusive upbringing that had a “profound effect on my development and well-being.”

“I am deeply sorry for what I have done,” Easton wrote, as quoted by The Sacramento Bee last month. “This is not who I am.”