Police: Bookkeeper steals over $300K

CRESTVIEW, Fla. (WALA) - It's one of the ten commandments, thou shall not steal. Well, investigators say a bookeeper at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Crestview took more than a couple dollars from the offering plate. They say Jeana Adams stole more than $300,000.

"A church, that bothers you when its the Lord's." said Ed Forehand, an area deacon.

He also says it doesn't matter how much money was involved.

"Even a little bit, it's the Lord's money. It's for spreading the gospel, missions,it bothers you," Forehand said.

Investigators say she was writing church checks to herself and depositing them in her personal account. She was also transferring church money to pay off her credit cards. Investigators say Adams forged signatures on more than 100 checks. Adams admitted to investigators that she forged the checks, she said she did it for housing expenses.

She had worked at the church for seven years as their bookkeeper. Church officials noticed several documents and proof in late 2009.

Adams is charged with grand theft in excess of $100,000, 113 counts of forgery, and 113 counts of uttering a forged instrument. She is also charged with racketeering.

Friday the church office was closed, and church members told FOX10 News they didn't want to talk about the situation.

Adams was booked in the Okaloosa County Jail is now out on bond.