Nov. 18--YANCEYVILLE -- Former state Sen. Hugh Webster surrendered to the Caswell County authorities Monday after he was indicted last week on charges of embezzlement and elder abuse.

Prior to turning himself in at Caswell County Sheriff's Department at 9:30 a.m., Webster, 65, held a news conference in front of the Caswell County Courthouse. He was released from custody at 10:30 a.m. under an unsecured $25,000 bond.

Webster, a Republican, told a small group of supporters and the media Monday morning that the charges against him are politically motivated. Webster ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Congress against U.S. Rep. Brad Miller in the Nov. 4 election and lost his senate seat, which he held for 12 years, to Democrat Tony Foriest in 2006.

Webster, who is accused of deceiving his 80-year-old aunt Doris Nance and embezzling $12,115 of her money, said he is innocent and blamed Sen. Tony Rand, DFayetteville, for the charges against him. The two men used to serve in the state Senate together. Webster said that Rand called him "Huge Webster" and he called Rand "Phony Rand." "He is capable of masterminding such a scheme," Webster said. "There is elder abuse here, but it's not by me." There is no information included in the indictments or search warrants that indicates Rand played any role in the case. In a phone interview with the Times-News, Rand denied any involvement.

"I haven't got the faintest idea why he is blaming me," said Rand, who laughed through most of the interview. "I don't know his aunt. I don't know who his aunt is. ... I guess everybody has to have somebody to blame." Webster, who was dressed in a suit Monday with a tie depicting the scales of justice, said he knew he was being investigated by the State Bureau of Investigation a few weeks ago when agents showed up at his house asking questions. In May 2007 he received a letter from Roxboro attorney James Tolin Jr., who was representing his aunt, regarding the $12,115 that Webster claims she gave him as a gift in April 2007.

But he wasn't aware that the SBI was conducting an investigation until they knocked on his door. Caswell County District Attorney Joel Brewer contacted the SBI Aug. 22 and requested the agency investigate Webster. The SBI opened its investigation Aug. 25, said Noelle Talley, spokeswoman for the N.C. Department of Justice, which includes both the SBI and Attorney General Roy Cooper's office.

Webster was called by the SBI Thursday and spoke with an agent at 6 p.m., which is when he learned that a grand jury had returned two true bills of indictment against him.