OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An Omaha woman has pleaded not guilty to embezzling nearly $9,000 from a church where she worked.

32-year-old Michaela LeColst is charged with a felony count of theft by deception. Police say she stole the money between September 2013 and February 2014 while working in the business office at Lifegate Church.

Executive senior pastor Mike Ballard says LeColst was fired July 2. He didn’t say why she was fired or how long she worked at the church. Ballard says church employees examined payroll records after she was fired and discovered that money was missing.

LeColst and her attorney declined to comment when contacted by the newspaper. She faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.