Plea possible in church embezzlement case in Battle Creek, Michigan

FROM THE BATTLE CREEK ENQUIRER:

Embezzlement charges could be dropped against the former financial manager of a Battle Creek church if she repays nearly $50,000.

Kathleen Vanorsdol waived her preliminary examination in Calhoun County District Court Tuesday and may not face any criminal charges if she repays $47,737 to the First United Methodist Church, 111 E. Michigan Ave.
Appearing Tuesday morning with her attorney, Jeff Getting of Kalamazoo, Vanorsdol, 45, of Kalamazoo, agreed to waive the hearing and District Judge John Holmes ordered the case bound over to circuit court for trial.
Vanorsdol is charged with one count of embezzlement with a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
However, Assistant Prosecutor Brandon Hultink told Holmes that he and Getting have reached a possible plea agreement.
If Vanorsdol repays the money before she is sentenced in circuit court in the next several weeks, all charges will be dropped.
If she is not able to repay the money by then, she will be placed on probation for 36 months and if she repays the money before the end of that probation period, the felony will be reduced to a misdemeanor.
But if she does not repay the money, then the felony conviction remains.
After the hearing, Getting declined to comment.
The church pastor, the Rev. Billie Dalton, called the agreement an admission of guilt by Vanorsdol. Battle Creek police allege the money was taken between September 2009 and September 2011.
Dalton, pastor of the 178-year-old church since March 1, 2009, called for an audit and said Vanorsdol resigned about a week before discrepancies were found on March 11.
"There is an admission of guilt and she is being held accountable," Dalton said, although Vanorsdol has not yet entered a plea in the case.
"The need for her to be held accountable is quite high," Dalton said. "We want her to be held accountable and return the money to the church."
Several members of the congregation attended the brief hearing with Dalton.
The pastor described their attitude as angry and sad and "wanting someone to pay. All of the emotions of being a victim are present in my congregation."
But he said the church will recover from the loss and said many in the Battle Creek community have been supportive.
Dalton also said the church has instituted new financial safeguards to protect it from future embezzlements.