A Roanoke County grand jury has indicted a woman on seven counts of embezzlement based on accusations that she took $50,000 from three Catawba churches where she volunteered as treasurer.

Catawba resident Lola Taylor Rowe served as treasurer for the McDonald's Mill, Catawba and Shiloh United Methodist churches, three small congregations in the Catawba area officiated by the same pastor that share the same treasury fund.

The Rev. Stephen Hundley, superintendent of the Roanoke District of United Methodist Churches, said he had asked for a financial review of the Catawba churches because an audit had not been done recently. The audit turned up improprieties that the church turned over to Roanoke County police in early 2007.

The indictments span a period from early 2003 to late 2006, said Roanoke County police Sgt. Mike Poindexter, who conducted the investigation for almost a year.

Roanoke County police Lt. Chuck Mason confirmed that police believe about $50,000 was taken from the treasury over that period.

-- Mike Allen