Six more charges to be served in Edwards case

Six additional charges will be filed in a case involving the alleged misappropriation of funds raised for charity, according to Det. Lt. Wayne Crouse of the Sparta Police Department.

Patricia Nicholson Edwards, 48, of N.C. 18 in Sparta, will now likely be facing a total of 19 felony charges in relation to the case, Crouse said. He noted that a number of the charges resulted from people coming forward after reading last week's newspaper article.

"We had several people contact us and say that they read the article in the newspaper and that they had also given money," said Crouse. He noted that some of those coming forward apparently had given personal and business checks to Edwards for charity, which were then kept for her own use. Crouse pointed out in a brief release to the newspaper that Edwards did purchase about $380 in groceries for the food pantry.

"The investigation, which started on Aug. 12, 2002, shows that on or about Sept. 28, 2002, $381.78 of food was purchased by Patricia Edwards at Food Lion of Sparta and this food has been delivered to the food bank at First Baptist Church," Crouse stated. "As of Oct. 28, the total donations collected by Mrs. Edwards in this case come to $1,225."

Crouse said that the additional charges will raise that total to $1,275. Earlier, warrants said Edwards was soliciting money for the food pantry at First Baptist Church in Sparta or was seeking donations for a church entity known as 'GM Circle.' "We are hoping that people continue to come forward and tell us if they were solicited by Mrs. Edwards for donations," said Crouse. "Anyone who feels they may be a victim in this case, please contact the Sparta Police Department at 372-4252."

Warrants for five of the new charges were issued on Oct. 28, while one other warrant was in the process of being filed as of presstime on Tuesday, said Crouse.

The names of the victim in that case was not available. That case involved a donation amount of $50, said Crouse.

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