MS church official, an ex-cop, sentenced for embezzling from church to pay rent
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- Former police officer Tonya Laville admitted embezzling $8,625 from a church
- Laville also used false pretense to fraudulently obtain $7,500 from Subway
- A pre-trial diversion deal will spare Laville prison if program terms are met
A former Gulfport police officer and assistant director of security and internal compliance at a Mississippi Coast school district has admitted embezzling thousands from a church while working in security there.
A Harrison County grand jury indicted Tonya Anne Laville, 48, for embezzlement for allegedly stealing $8,625 from St. James Catholic Church in Gulfport.
In addition, the grand jury indicted Laville on felony false pretense for using deceptive means as part of the same criminal scheme to obtain $7,500 from Subway in Pass Christian.
On Monday, Laville accepted responsibility for the crimes when she appeared before Judge Randi Mueller in Harrison County Circuit Court. The judge informed her that she had qualified for pre-trial diversion.
As a result, Laville will not serve any time in prison unless she fails to complete the terms of a pre-trial diversion program the judge set for her. Her sentence is non-adjudicated, meaning she will not have any felony record as long as she completes the terms of her pre-trial diversion sentence.
On Jan. 30, 2024, Gulfport police arrested Laville on a charge of felony wire fraud after officials at St. James Catholic Church in Gulfport discovered $8,625 had been embezzled from the church. On Jan. 27, 2025, a Harrison County grand jury found evidence to indict her on the two other charges.
After Gulfport police first began the investigation, Laville admitted stealing the money by using the church’s bank account and routing numbers she had access to due to her job in security.
Ultimately, police determined Laville used CashApp to embezzle the money. She used the money to cover the costs of her rent and late fees on a home in Bethel Estates in Pass Christian.
Laville committed the second crime of false pretense as part of the same criminal scheme, but in that case, to fraudulently obtain $7,500 from a Subway store in Pass Christian.
In court Monday, attorneys said that Laville had made full restitution in the case.
At the time of her arrest, Laville was working as assistant director of security for the Harrison County School District, a position she had held for two years.
Laville admitted “culpability” for the crime after her initial arrest.
