AUBURN — The former treasurer of the Poland Community Church has been charged with embezzling close to $6,500 from church accounts.

An Androscoggin County grand jury indicted Norma Jean Inman, 43, of New Gloucester on charges of forgery and theft by unauthorized taking. The charges against Inman are specific to an incident on Nov. 3, 2010, when police believe she endorsed or altered checks worth more than $1,000, but the police investigation covers activities dating back to 2009.

A volunteer treasurer at the church, Inman is believed to have written multiple checks to herself and other people totaling $6,477.89, according to Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Detective Sgt. William Gagne.

Gagne said police became aware of the theft after members of the church’s board of trustees began questioning some discrepancies in the church’s finances and raised concerns about a signature they believed to be forged.

According to Tom Benway of Poland, a business owner and member of the church’s board of trustees, he was asked by fellow church members to review financial records, which is when he recognized some discrepancies.

Benway said Friday that he repeatedly asked for Inman’s records over a two-month period and was never given the material. So he went to the church’s bank and asked for copies of checks and statements and “within minutes of looking through things, we knew what was going on,” he said.

Once the trustees understood the situation, they brought the matter to the county sheriff’s department, which began its investigation in March.

Benway estimates the thefts occurred over a period of 18 months, dating back to 2009. He said the church carried insurance against theft so the missing funds have been reimbursed under that policy.

The charges against Inman are Class C felonies, each punishable by up to five years in jail.

The Sun Journal attempted to contact Inman for comment, but her phone number is no longer in service.

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