Monday, March 12, 2007

A church treasurer has been accused of stealing thousands of dollars after
officials learned he had lost more than $58,000 at gambling boats since
2002. George Lowman Jr., 68, of Valparaiso, was charged with a felony count
of theft, which carries a sentence of six months to three years in prison. A
representative of Boone Grove Christian Church in Hebron, about 20 miles
southeast of Gary, told police that elders had not had church books audited
since 2001 because they had come to trust Lowman, court documents state. But
Lowman refused to provide paperwork when church officials asked about
finances. Records showed that Lowman had written numerous checks to his wife
from church accounts at several banks. Multiple withdrawals also were made
from area gambling boats. Lowman admitted to police that he was only
authorized to write checks for church business and that his wife had never
done any work for the northwest Indiana church. Lowman also admitted he and
his wife visited area gambling boats frequently. A Porter Circuit Court
judge issued a warrant for Lowman and set his bond at $10,000. The
Associated Press left a message seeking comment Thursday at a number listed
for Lowman.