Former Yuba City church administrator convicted of fraud, identity theft
SACRAMENTO - A former Sutter County church administrator who was previously convicted of fraud was found guilty of identity theft on Monday, federal prosecutors said.
Chanell Easton, 38, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was found guilty Monday of two counts of identity theft. Prosecutors said she pled guilty to the fraud counts in October 2023 but persisted she was not guilty of identity theft.
Easton worked as a church administrator in Yuba City. Prosecutors said during her employment she stole over 360,000 from the church, including from its food pantry and youth ministry.
Court documents show she used credit cards associated with the church to make personal purchases, such as at a hair salon, retail stores, vacation rental service and VIP concert tickets. She would then pay off the balance with the church's money.
One of her purchases was with a credit card belonging to the church's youth minister. Prosecutors said Easton made thousands of dollars in purchases in personal purchases on Zappos.com using his identity.
She also transferred money from the church's bank to her personal account and paid down the balance of her credit card and cellphone provider, processors said.
She also stole money from the church by writing checks to herself and forging the signature of the church's treasurer or head volunteer of the food pantry.
Easton is scheduled to be sentenced on June 25 and faces a maximum 20 years in prison.