By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

HOOVER – A 52-year-old Warrior woman is being held in the Shelby County Jail on bonds totaling $300,000 after she was charged with allegedly embezzling more than $200,000 from her Hoover employer.

The Hoover Police Department arrested Rebecca Ann Higginbotham, who lists an address in the 9000 block of Sparks Drive in Warrior, at her home on Aug. 26 and charged her with seven counts of second-degree forgery, six counts of first-degree theft of property and one count of second-degree theft of property.

Higginbotham’s arrest came after she allegedly “stole and forged at least 135 checks” from her employer, Birmingham Internal Medicine Associates on Alabama 119, and “diverted them to her personal accounts during a seven-year period from 2007-2014.

“This is an ongoing investigation and more charges are expected,” read a Hoover Police Department press release. “Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact Detective Austin Tubb at 444-7602.”

First-degree theft of property is a Class B felony. If convicted, Higginbotham could face up to 20 years in prison per charge. Second-degree forgery and second-degree theft of property are Class C felonies, and are punishable by up to 10 years in prison upon conviction.