She is being accused of theft.
A former church secretary and long-time congregant in Louisa, Virginia, Brenda W. Ragland, could face up to 280 years in prison after her conviction on 14 counts of embezzlement. Ragland, 64, was found guilty of misappropriating funds from her church, where she had been a member and employee for over 20 years. Authorities reported that her embezzlement totaled at least $670,000.
According to a statement by Louisa Commonwealth’s Attorney Rusty McGuire, suspicions arose in early 2023 when the church attempted to make a charitable donation to help another local church purchase a building. However, they were unable to locate Ragland, who was traveling at the time, to obtain documentation from the bank regarding their available funds. When church officials contacted the bank themselves, they discovered their account balance was significantly lower than anticipated.
Recognizing the discrepancy, church leaders reported the issue to the Louisa County Sheriff’s Office, prompting an investigation. The inquiry revealed that Ragland had been diverting funds from the church’s bank account to her own, including transferring member tithes directly into her personal Cash App account over several years. Due to limited access to bank records, investigators could only review the last seven years, suggesting that the actual financial loss may be even greater.
McGuire expressed the church’s dismay, noting that Ragland had betrayed the trust placed in her by treating church funds as her “personal piggy bank.” He stressed the importance of her fulfilling any restitution obligations and revealed that her sentencing is scheduled for January 27, 2025.
Senior Assistant Commonwealth Attorney Megan Riordan, who helped prosecute the case, also voiced hopes that the church could recover from the severe financial impact of Ragland’s actions. Riordan commended the sheriff’s office for their diligent investigation and expressed optimism for the church’s eventual recovery.