Kansas City-area man charged with embezzling from 2 churches

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - A suburban Kansas City man has been charged with embezzling more than $86,000 from two churches.

The U.S. attorney's office says the 14-count indictment against 59-year-old David Townley, of Raytown, was returned Tuesday and made public Wednesday upon his arrest and initial court appearance. It wasn't immediately known if he had an attorney.

Townley is accused of skimming money from cash tuition payments and writing unauthorized checks to himself while working as the business manager for the Nativity of Mary church and school in Independence.

Prosecutors also allege that Townley stole from the Sacred Heart of Guadalupe church in Kansas City while volunteering to pay the church's bills, make financial committee reports and file the church's tax returns.