Dublin City Clerk and Church Treasurer Arrested for Theft by Deception

DUBLIN, GA – A Dublin woman who served as both the treasurer of a local church and the city clerk has been arrested in connection with missing funds.

On Tuesday, September 30, 2025, Heather Browning, 35, of Dublin, was arrested and charged with one count of Theft by Deception (O.C.G.A. 16-8-3).

The investigation began the day prior, when members of Cedar Grove Methodist Church in Alamo reported suspicious activity involving their bank accounts. The Laurens County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI).

According to investigators, Browning is accused of falsely writing and cashing checks from the church’s accounts, breaching her fiduciary duty as treasurer.

Browning was booked into the Laurens County Detention Center following her arrest.

The GBI says the case remains active and ongoing. Once the investigation is complete, it will be turned over to the Dublin Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the GBI Regional Investigative Office in Eastman at 478-374-6988. Anonymous tips may be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by using the See Something, Send Something mobile app.