The Virginia State NAACP, already under national scrutiny, is facing more woes following the disclosure that an officer has been charged with misdemeanor embezzlement from the Chesterfield Branch NAACP.

LaSalle J. McCoy Jr. of Chester, the state NAACP secretary and longtime president of the Chesterfield branch, was released on a summons after he was served with a complaint that member Nicole Martin obtained that was filed Feb. 20.

Mr. McCoy, who is charged with embezzlement of less than $200, is to be arraigned in Chesterfield General District Court on Wednesday, March 13. He has obtained an attorney, Stephen L. Hewlett.

Mr. McCoy could not immediately be reached for comment, but is expected to mount a vigorous defense.

Sources told the Free Press that questions about the use of the Chesterfield Branch’s dollars came into question after newly installed officers reviewed the branch’s books and found what they considered to be questionable spending. They used the information to obtain a warrant, making public another embarrassing situation for the state conference of the civil rights group.

Last week, the Free Press reported that the national board at its Feb. 16 meeting suspended the membership of the former president of the Henrico Branch NAACP, Frank J. Thornton, for alleged mismanagement of branch funds before he was removed in December. Mr. Thornton has strongly denied the allegations.

The Free Press also reported that the board also had considered a recommendation from its field staff to impose greater oversight of the state conference’s operations and decisions based on member complaints. To date, the national board and its staff have not announced what steps were approved to resolve the situation.