A former administrative assistant at an Arizona church is facing multiple felony charges for allegedly rerouting more than $335,000 to her personal bank accounts.
Detectives in the fraud unit of the Pima County Sheriff’s Office arrested Tracey Lynn Jorgensen, 61, on July 23. She was booked into the Pima County Adult Detention Complex before being released.
Jorgensen worked as an administrative assistant at GracePointe, a Tucson-based member of the Evangelical Free Church of America. She is no longer listed on the church staff webpage, but an archived version of the site states that she graduated from Indiana Wesleyan University with a master’s degree in human resources.
Online court records show that Jorgensen faces six theft charges and one charge of fraudulent schemes and artifices.
The county sheriff stated in a July 24 social media post that investigators believe Jorgensen embezzled the funds between 2020 and 2025.
Your tax-deductible gift supports our mission of reporting the truth and restoring the church. Donate $50 or more to The Roys Report, and you can elect to receive our featured offer, “When Shepherds Prey: Confronting Abuse in Church Leadership—A Call for Reformation” by Ron Cantor. – click here.
GracePointe officials contacted authorities in April 2025, after discovering financial irregularities, according to KVOA Ch. 4, an NBC affiliate in Tucson.
The TV station reported that Jorgensen oversaw payroll, had access to church finances and had the authority to write checks. Subpoenaed records showed investigators that Jorgensen deposited church funds and checks into her three USAA Bank accounts.
The first fraudulent check, which totaled $3,100, was written on Nov. 4, 2020, according to KVOA. Jorgensen is accused of stealing $356, 331.52 over five years.
Jorgensen admitted to investigators during a July 23 interview that she diverted funds from the church, but she did not know how much, KVOA said.
Roys Report (RR) reached out to Jorgensen and GracePointe for comment but did not receive a response.
The church emailed a statement about the matter to ChurchLeaders, a website that provides ministry news and resources.
“At this time, all we’re saying is that our congregation has been grievously sinned against and we need and appreciate your prayers and the prayers of our brothers and sisters in Christ,” the statement reads.
The email also stated that GracePointe officials discovered the discrepancies while “updating and improving” its process for managing financial responsibilities.
“We have fully cooperated with and appreciate the diligence of the authorities in uncovering the full extent of the wrongdoing,” the email stated.
Ann Marie Shambaugh has reported as a print journalist in multiple states, including currently in Carmel, Indiana.
