MS Coast school official, ex-cop, stole from church to pay personal expenses, records say

A former Gulfport police officer and assistant director of security and internal compliance at the Harrison County School District used her position in security at a South Mississippi church to embezzle thousands of dollars, according to records filed in the case.

Tonya Ann Laville, 47, was still serving in her position in security at the Harrison County School District when Gulfport police arrested her on Jan. 30 on a felony charge of wire fraud for embezzling the money.

In the aftermath of her arrest, School District spokesperson Trang Pham-Bui told the Sun Herald that Laville “is no longer employed” there.

Early on in the investigation, Gulfport police said Laville used a cash app to steal money from St. James Catholic Church in Gulfport.

According to the criminal affidavit, Laville was working in security at the church when she stole $8,625 from the church’s financial account.

Laville used the church’s bank account and routing numbers to transfer the cash to cover the costs of rent and late fees for a home in Bethel Estates in Pass Christian, the records say.

Laville admitted “culpability” for the crime after her arrest, the records say.

At the time of her arrest, Laville had served as assistant director of security in the Harrison County School District for nearly two years.

Prior to that, Laville worked for over twenty years as a school resource officer at the Gulfport Police Department.

Laville is currently out of jail on a $5,000 bond.

Wire fraud is a felony that is punishable by up to five years in prison and up to $10,000, or both.