CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A Stockton man has been arrested for allegedly embezzling more than $100,000 from a Clearlake church where he previously was pastor.

Bruce Anthony Stark, 62, was arrested by Elk Grove Police Department on an outstanding Clearlake Police Department warrant for grand theft on Saturday, March 16, according to Clearlake Police Sgt. Nick Bennett.

Stark was booked into the Lake County Jail on Wednesday, March 20, for felony grand theft, with bail set at $40,000. Jail records indicated he later posted the required percentage of bail and was released.

Bennett said the case began in 2008 when members of the Hilltop Apostolic Church in Clearlake reported they were victims of a vehicle theft, misappropriation of church funds and grand theft of church property.

Stark was hired by the church as pastor in 2002. Between 2002 and 2007 it is alleged that he embezzled cash and property in excess of $100,000, Bennett said.

Clearlake Police Det. Carl Stein began a lengthy investigation which involved numerous cash transactions and illegal property mortgage collateral loans involving church properties where Stark converted the monies for his personal use, according to Bennett.

During the course of the investigation Det. Stein uncovered additional crimes Stark may have been involved in but were occurring in other jurisdictions, Bennett said.

After interviewing 26 people who were involved in the Clearlake case, reviewing years of bank statements and multiple county records, the case was submitted to the Lake County District Attorney’s Office for a complaint, Bennett said.

Bennett said the Lake County Superior Court issued the arrest warrant for Stark in December 2012.

Stark’s booking sheet said he is scheduled to appear in Lake County Superior Court on Monday, April 2.