BRYAN, TX — A woman has been arrested after Bryan police said she confirmed defrauding the First Pebreystian Church (FPB) about $30,000 towards the end of 2020.
Donya Ragle, 44, has been charged with theft of property $2,500 - $30,000.
On March 12, the Bryan Police Department received a tip that a former employee of FPB had forged their checks on two different church accounts.
According to the probable cause statement, the former employee resigned during the audit of the alleged forgeries.
The victim said the church had given Ragle more hours as their Financial Assistant, with a budgeted salary of $22,965.
Police said Ragle stated there was a time where she was having medical issues and believes the church gave her $3,000 in response.
Court documents show Ragle had received two checks worth $3,303.76. When questioned by officers about this difference from her statement, Ragle responded she was nervous and not thinking.
When asked why the church was claiming she had stolen funds. Ragle responded by naming an FPB employee she felt did not like her personally.
According to the probable cause statement, Ragle confirmed to police she had authorized several checks without proper approval in the past; this was later confirmed by several other FPB employees.
Ragle was arrested on June 20 and later released the same day after posting a surety bond.
KRHD 25 News reached out to FBP and received the following statement:
In late December 2020, First Presbyterian Church (FPC) of Bryan’s interim church treasurer and interim bookkeeper discovered possible unauthorized disbursements by someone who had access to the church’s income and expense processes. FPC then consulted with our bank, and the church provided bookkeeping and bank records to the Bryan Police Department (BPD) and to the church’s insurance carrier’s financial loss investigator. Since this discovery and research into the extent and means of unauthorized financial withdrawals, church officials have taken steps to ensure the present and future integrity of current church financial holdings and interactions. Having been asked by BPD to limit knowledge of their investigation only to those with a need to know, the church’s Board of Elders and staff agreed to maintain confidentiality so that BPD’s investigation could proceed unhindered. On Sunday, June 20, after an arrest was made, FPC’s Elders notified the general membership about this development and action taken by church officers during the previous six months. FPC will, in days ahead, only release information related to this set of events as advised by local law enforcement officials. We are engaged with prayers of support, however, for all whose lives are affected by these developments.
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