Woman, 77, pleads guilty in Warren, Michigan church embezzlement case

A 77-year-old woman faces the possibility of prison time for taking money from a Warren church and must repay $50,000 in an agreement with prosecutors. The Macomb Daily reports Helen Gvozdich pleaded guilty to embezzlement Tuesday, the day her case was to go to trial in Macomb County Circuit Court in Mount Clemens. Sentencing is Nov. 8. She has no prior criminal record and guidelines call for anywhere from probation to up to two years behind bars. A message seeking comment was left by The Associated Press on Wednesday for defense lawyer E. Philip Adamaszek. Authorities originally said that in 2008 and 2009 Gvozdich stole about $79,000 from St. Stevan Decanski Serbian Orthodox Church in Warren. Prosecutors say church officials agreed to accept $50,000 repayment if she pleaded guilty.