Authorities have arrested the operator of a North Georgia faith-based addiction recovery facility after their investigation turned up a warrant for her in Arkansas.
Starla Pope, aka Starla Occhito, was booked into the Lumpkin County Jail on Friday.
That was two days after the sheriff’s office began checking into “possible criminal activity” at the sobriety house she runs, officials said on Facebook.
She’s in charge of the Experience of Grace Ministries on Tipton Street in Dahlonega, sheriff’s Lt. Alan D. Roach said.
She is wanted on a failure to appear warrant issued in October 2016 in Craighead County, Ark., according to online court records.
The warrant stems from charges of theft of property and fraudulent use of a credit card or debit card that were filed in 2010.
“At this time, the investigation into the reported criminal activity here is still ongoing,” Roach said.
Specifics of the Lumpkin County investigation have not been released.
“Experience Of Grace Ministries advocates daily for people that are incarcerated, needing drug rehabilitation,” Pope wrote on her LinkedIn profile.
Those associated with Experience of Grace have acknowledged the situation involving the leader of the operation.
“Please say a prayer for Starla,” one person posted Saturday on Facebook.
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