Former Fraternal Order of Police treasurer accused of embezzlement

A former Fraternal Order of Police lodge treasurer is accused of embezzling more than $110,000 from the non-profit organization and spending part of it on personal restaurant, hotel and medical bills, U.S. Attorney Jill Rose said Tuesday.

Timothy James Brewer, 63, of Newton, faces wire fraud charges in the case. A federal grand jury indicted him on Sept. 19, and the indictment was unsealed on Tuesday after Brewer’s court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge David Keesler. Wire fraud carries up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

According to the indictment, Brewer is accused of diverting $110,135 from Catawba County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 26 for his personal gain. Brewer worked for the Newton-based lodge from 2005 to 2016.

The indictment says Brewer misused an FOP credit card to convert about $61,875 for personal gain. He also is accused of using an FOP bank account to pay the balance on a personal credit card, and converting another $48,259 for personal gain. Brewer is free on bail.

This story was originally published September 26, 2017 at 4:13 PM with the headline "Former Fraternal Order of Police treasurer accused of embezzlement."