Church case still under FBI review

September 07, 2008 10:03 pm

— By Greg Grisolano
ggrisolano@joplinglobe.com
FRONTENAC, Kan. — The Crawford County sheriff says no charges have been filed against a person of interest in a case of alleged misuse of church funds, and that federal authorities are still sifting through evidence recovered in a July search.
Sheriff Sandy Horton said Friday that investigators at the FBI’s regional computer crime lab are still analyzing financial data seized July 24 from a computer in the office of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 100 S. Cherokee St. in Frontenac.
“It’s not like we’re going through one person’s checkbook,” Horton said. “This is the type of financial-fraud case that takes months to investigate.”
Horton said his office started the investigation more than 10 months before the search warrant was executed and brought in the other agencies to assist with gathering evidence. He said FBI agents helped remove financial records from the church computer without having to remove the equipment itself.
Horton said he plans to call the regional crime lab office today for an update.
Horton previously said the investigation is focusing on an employee who worked in the church office, and that the church pastor, the Rev. Robert McElwee, is not a suspect in the investigation.