Raytown man is indicted in embezzlements from area churches

A Raytown man was indicted Wednesday in the embezzlement of more than $86,000 from two Kansas City area churches.

In a 14-count indictment, a federal grand jury in Kansas City accused David Townley, 59, of stealing from Nativity of Mary Church and School in Independence and the Sacred Heart Guadalupe church in Kansas City.

The indictment alleges that Townley, as business manager for the Nativity of Mary, skimmed money from cash tuition payments made by parents between 2007 and 2013.

Townley is also accused of stealing more than $47,000 from Sacred Heart Guadalupe as a volunteer in charge of paying the church’s bills.

Townley is charged with three counts of wire fraud, three counts of mail fraud and eight counts of tax evasion. If convicted, Townley could be required to forfeit $86,297 in proceeds from the alleged fraud.

This story was originally published June 29, 2016 at 6:55 PM with the headline "Raytown man is indicted in embezzlements from area churches."