The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

Sandra H. Cooper, 56 of Orange, was indicted Wednesday on embezzlement. The president of an Orange County credit union was indicted on embezzlement and money laundering charges.

Cooper is accused of embezzling $1,164,360 in four and a half years. If convicted, she faces up to 30 years in prison for each of the 14 embezzlement charges and up to 10 years in federal prison for the money laundering charges.

According to the indictment passed down by U.S. Attorney John M. Bales, Cooper, the president and treasurer of the two-employee Orange County Employees Federal Credit Union, is charged with writing checks from the credit union's checking account to herself and signing them. The checks ranged from $5,000 to $9,500.

Cooper is also accused of writing checks from the credit union's account for more than $10,000 to herself and cashing them, the indictment reads.