Crime & Courts

Midlands woman stole more than $10,000 from her employer — a church, SC cops say

A Midlands woman was arrested on a charge that she stole more than $10,000 from a local church where she worked, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division said.

Sherry Rodgers Kirkland was charged with breach of trust with fraudulent intent (more than $10,000), SLED said. Information on the exact amount of money the 61-year-old Saluda resident is accused of stealing from the church was not available.

Kirkland was an employee of the Amick Grove Pentecostal Holiness Church, according to an affidavit shared by SLED. There was no word on her exact title, but the affidavit said Kirkland “held a position of trust” at the church in Batesburg.

The fraud happened between Jan. 1, 2011, and Dec. 12, 2018, according to the affidavit. Information about how Kirkland took the money was not available, but she did “knowingly, willingly and without the lawful authority to do so, take steal or convert to ownership more than $10,000,” the affidavit said.

There was no word what Kirkland did with the money.

Kirkland was arrested on Jan. 12 and booked at the Saluda County Detention Center, according to SLED. She was released the same day after posting a $10,000 personal recognizance bond, Saluda County court records show.

Kirkland’s case is being prosecuted by the 11th Circuit Solicitor’s Office.

If convicted on the felony charge, she faces a maximum punishment of 10 years in prison, according to South Carolina law.

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Noah Feit
The State
Noah Feit is a Real Time reporter with The State focused on breaking news, public safety and trending news. The award-winning journalist has worked for multiple newspapers since starting his career in 1999. Support my work with a digital subscription
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