Volunteer accused of stealing nearly $133KA volunteer bookkeeper for an association of nursing homes and hospital chaplains has been charged in Washington County District Court with six felonies, accused of embezzling nearly $133,000 by writing checks to herself over the past four years.

Susan K. Fredricksen, 64, of Oak Park Heights, was a volunteer for the St. Croix Chaplaincy Association, a group that provides chaplains for nursing homes in Stillwater and Bayport. The group is funded by area churches and foundations.

In January, the association director discovered that one of the association's savings certificates had been depleted, prompting an investigation by the Stillwater Police Department.

A review of the association's bank accounts, which were managed by Fredricksen, revealed that she had written dozens of checks to herself, the complaint says. She had also taken money from the saving certificate to keep the checking account solvent. The complaint cites six separate thefts in amounts ranging from $10,526 to $29,600.

Her first court appearance will be on July 13.

JIM ANDERSON