A federal grand jury has indicted Rhonda K. Warren, 44, of Murfreesboro, for wire fraud, authorities announced today.

Warren was an accounts payable clerk for Ole South Properties Inc., the large home construction firm based in Murfreesboro. The indictment claims that between January 2007 and February of this year, she submitted false invoices to her company that were meant to look like they came from a legitimate vendor.

"By this means, Warren fraudulently obtained from representatives of Ole South Properties approximately 71 checks totaling approximately $405,839.87, deposited those checks into a bank account that she controlled, and spent the funds for her personal use and benefit, and for the use and benefit of her family members and friends," the indictment says.

Warren faces up to 20 years in prison and $250,000 in fines if convicted.

The Nashville office of the U.S. Secret Service and the Murfreesboro Police Department investigated the matter, according to today's announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Byron M. Jones is prosecuting the government's case.

Ole South has several times made Builder Magazine's list of the 100 largest homebuilders in the nation. According to its Web site, it closed on nearly 600 newly built homes in 2007.