May.21, 2010, 8:32 a.m. EDT

A Sanford Housing Authority board member was arrested Thursday after authorities said he stole more than $100,000 meant to pay for cemetery plots and funeral contracts.

Bernard Mitchell, 59, was arrested on charges of racketeering, money laundering, failure to deposit required funds by pre-need licensee, grand theft and petty theft — 32 counts in all.

State records show Mitchell is president of Mitchell & Mitchell Mortuary in Sanford.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement said Mitchell took money for plots and advance-need plans and laundered them through an account he controlled as treasurer of the Florida Morticians Association.

He was required by law to deposit the money into a state escrow account, investigators said.

Agents say Mitchell withdrew money from the morticians association and made bank transfers from the account to himself. Over three years, he stole more than $100,000, investigators said.

Mitchell was being held without bail at the Seminole County Jail. He was arrested by Sanford police and the FDLE.

The morticians association lists Mitchell as president. He also has been chairman of the housing authority.

The authority came under fire this week when a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development report said it is poorly managed, rents units in bad condition and can't pay its bills.

The 480-unit authority had so many problems that HUD took over its management in 2003. The federal agency restored local control in 2006.