Real-Life
Examples
Just in case you have ever
said “It can’t happen in my church”, here
are a few real-life examples taken from newspapers around the
country. They are divided into the sections listed below. You
can click on the topic to go to each section.
Acts
of Violence
Sexual Crimes
Negligent Hiring of Church Staff
Negligent Retention of Church Staff
Financial Related Crimes
Property Crimes
Miscellaneous Incidents
Acts
of Violence
Gunman Kills Seven,
and Himself, In Texas Church
 Larry
Gene Ashbrook, 47, entered Wedgwood Baptist Church, in a quiet
middle-class neighborhood in Ft. Worth, Texas and opened fire
on a congregation of 150 teenagers while they were singing hymns.
At first, the teenagers believed it was part of a skit. The
gunman shouted antireligious profanities and told the congregation
to “stay still”. He opened fire killing seven people
and wounded seven people before turning the gun on himself.
The man emptied three magazines of bullets from a 9mm semi-automatic
handgun and had had 100 more rounds of ammunition and two other
guns in his possession. Authorities believed he rolled a pipe
bomb down one of the aisles, but it was not very powerful. Most
of the victims’ wounds were from bullets. No one knows
the motive, but Ashbrook was a disturbed man. Larry Ashbrook
was described as a social outcast. His family told police that
he was paranoid and had signs of schizophrenia. Ashbrook’’s
home had bomb making equipment including black gunpowder and
hundreds of pipe fittings. He was described as recluse and weird
but it’s a mystery why he attacked a church he never attended.
Church, Police Probe
Seven Murders
Terry Ratzmann, 44, walked into a Saturday
morning service at Living Church of God in suburban Milwaukee
. He opened fire on the group unloading 22 bullets from a 9
mm handgun. He shot the pastor, pastor’s sons, and five
other church members before killing himself. No one expected
Ratzmann to do this because he did not seem violent. In fact,
he would share his garden vegetables with others. Some members
noticed that during a sermon in a previous Sunday he had walked
out in a huff when the pastor mentioned that people created
their own problems. He was about to lose his job and suffered
from depression and drinking. It is highly probable that he
had something against the church.
Suspected LA Gunman:
Quiet, Loner, with Assault Conviction
In Olympia, WA, Buford O. Furrow Jr. gunned
down a mailman because he said he was “non-white”
and opened fire at a Jewish community center. He was part of
the Aryan Nation that made him feel important as a supremacist
because he had never fit in. Ironically, he came from a loving
home and his best friend was Hispanic growing up. Furrow severed
these ties a year before the incident. Past employers and college
administrators described Furrow as “nothing memorable.”
Furrow was also on probation for assaulting two nurses in Seattle
with a knife at the Fairfax Psychiatric Hospital previously.
After he left the hospital he said sometimes he felt like he
could just kill someone. That is what he did.
Police Kill Man
in a Church Scuffle
Richard Dearsmith, 39, was killed by police
in the bathroom of St. Mary’s Catholic Cathedral in Colorado
Springs on Sunday, January 14, 1996. Dearsmith was delusional
and mentally ill, claiming that he was Jesus Christ. He was
on parole in Colorado after serving time for criminal impersonation
and possession of marijuana. He was arrested in Kansas at least
17 times for drug charges and for assaulting police officers
twice. At 9:30 am Dearsmith arrived at church with his 7-inch
hunting knife. He was locked in a bathroom after trying to wrestle
a collection plate from an usher and hassling church worshippers.
Police officers went into the bathroom but underestimated his
strength when they attempted to arrest him. When he got an arm
loose, he pulled out his knife and put it in position to stab
an officer. After repeated warnings to drop the knife, Officer
Robert Benjamin shot him in the chest. Dearsmith had no drugs
or alcohol in his system when he died. Officer Benjamin was
justified for the shooting.
Woman Fatally Stabbed
in Georgia Church
Savannah, Ga.- Arnetha Williams, 39, was
fatally stabbed by her estranged boyfriend, Strodd Harris, 34,
in a meeting room at St. John’s Baptist Church. When Harris
entered the church, he stabbed Williams in front of 20 to 30
parishioners. Harris was arrested at a relative’s home
about three hours later. A week earlier, Harris had been arrested
at the same church following an argument with Williams.
Church Shooting
Shocks a Quiet Louisiana Town
A fatal shooting occurred at St. John
Fellowship Church in Gonzalez, LA. Two men attempted to warn
the congregation that a man was approaching with a gun. Shon
Miller, 22, fired his gun at Carla, 25, his estranged wife,
and Shon, Jr., his 2-year-old son. They were both killed along
with congregation member Vaniaro Jackson, 19. Four other church
members were wounded. Officials said Miller killed his mother-in-law,
Meldred Vessel, 53, at her home before going to church. Shon
Miller had a history of domestic abuse and was homeless. The
police cornered Miller in a shed and attempted negotiations.
A sharpshooter shot the gun out of his hand. Another officer
tripped and accidentally shot Miller in the back and paralyzed
him from the waist down. He was charged with four count of first-degree
murder and three counts of attempted murder.
Minister Stabbed
by Transient
An unshaven, dirty man entered First Baptist
Church in Conway, Missouri, and asked the pastor, Rev. Strauch,
for cash. Instead of cash, the church has a fund to pay for
meals for the needy. While Strauch was on the phone with a restaurant
owner, the man pushed the minister into a bookshelf and stabbed
him in the abdomen, leg, and hand. He stole Strauch’s
billfold and fled the church. The restaurant owner, Joe Bunch,
heard the scuffle and called authorities. The knife and billfold
were recovered at the scene. Strauch was treated at Breech Medical
Center in Lebanon, Missouri and was released.
Shooting Breaks
Out During a Michigan Church Service
The St. Paul's Albanian Church was the
site of a fatal shooting. As the priest was preparing to distribute
the sacrament Gjon Pepaj said, “Yes, I am here”
and shot Gjek Sufaj in the head several times. He fired into
the air and yelled, “I done what I was supposed to do.”
Sufaj was seated next to his children who witnessed the murder.
Approximately 1400 parishioners fled after the shots and at
least seven were hurt trying to escape. Nearby parishioners
wrestled Pepaj to the ground. Pepaj and the victim had been
feuding for six years. Because neither man was a member of the
church, it was uncertain whether the shooting resulted by a
chance encounter or was premeditated.
Three Dead in Atlanta
Church Shooting
Sheila Wilson, 43, entered the sanctuary
of the Turner Memorial AME Church in Atlanta, Georgia to talk
to Rev. Johnny Clyde Reynolds. She shot him and her mother Jennie
Mae Robinson after Sunday school and before service began. She
then killed herself. No one was in the sanctuary at the time,
but parishioners heard the shots. Robinson had recently taken
Wilson out of a mental hospital. Wilson was seen as disturbed
but not violent. The motive for the murders is unclear.
Rejected Admirer
Shoots Four in Church Before Killing Self
Four Hurt in Church Shooting
Pasadena- Wednesday, March 22, 2000, Oscar
Castillo, 32, walked into Iglesia Cristiana Esposa del Cordero
Pentecostal church in the Houston suburb of Pasadena , at around
9:00 pm. He shot and injured 18-year-old Leslie Contreras in
the neck because she had refused to be his girlfriend. He shot
three others including Contrera’s mother, Angela, 38,
and the church pastor Carlos Matamores, 49. The fourth victim
had minor injuries. They were to have a meeting to come up with
ways to prevent Castillo from stalking Leslie, and that is when
Castillo burst in and opened fire. Castillo later left the church
and fatally shot himself in the parking lot. Castillo was a
landscaper and often donated his services to the church. He
was once a drug addict but turned his life over to God. He talked
abut Jesus every day.
Church Shootings
Mystify Local Ministers
Within two months, ten churches had been
shot at both in and around Carbondale, IL. Three churches were
targeted for the first time on March 24, 2001: Epiphany Lutheran
Church, University Baptist Church, and Calvary Campus Church.
They were sprayed with shotgun slugs and 9mm bullets. On March
25, 2001, New Life Covenant was targeted. On March 30, Walnut
Street Baptist was hit. On March 31, Lakeland Baptist Church,
Church of Christ in Herrin, IL, and Rock Springs Community Church
in Cobden, IL were hit. Everyone thought the shootings stopped,
but on June 7th Church of Christ and Rock Springs Community
Church were targeted again. Authorities believe the shootings
are connected but have not caught the perpetrator.
A Test of Faith:
Two Attacks at Church Leave Priest On Guard
Tucson, AZ- Rev. Jose M. Bach, 74, of Santa
Cruz Catholic Church was severely beaten by a man when he told
him to come back for confession the next morning at the proper
time. The man used vulgar language in Spanish and shoved hi
sway into the church. He fled after searching the back pockets
of the priest’s pants in search of a wallet, Father Bach
suffered a broken nose, black eyes, and other injuries. It was
the second time Father Bach had been assaulted at the church
in 10 years. The church was going to decide on further security
issues.
Lingering Mystery-
New Sweden, Maine
Sixteen members of Gustaf Lutheran Church
were poisoned by arsenic-laced coffee they drank after service.
One man died. Daniel Bondeson was suspected to be the culprit
but shot himself before he was arrested. Investigators believe
he did not act alone and believe “church politics”
may be behind the poisoning. Residents do not want to talk about
the incident anymore and want to move on with their lives. However,
the accomplices that may have helped Bondeson could still be
free which leaves some residents living in New Sweden fearful.
Robber Accepts Plea
Offer
Jeffrey Chance, 25 of Mount Pleasant was
arrested after robbing a Burlington church employee at knifepoint
in summer 2003. The church was Christ Episcopal Church. Chance
was going to trial July 13, 2004 but accepted a plea offer.
On July 20, in Des Moines County District Court, he pleaded
guilty to two charges and requested immediate sentencing. He
was sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined $1,000 on the
lesser-included charge of Class C felony second-degree robbery.
The prison sentence will be followed by up to 10 years on a
charge of first-degree theft.
Pastor Shot at his
Home
Mark Sooter, 41 was disturbed after being
laid off from his job and being unable to obtain employee benefits.
He was charged with first degree murder after shooting Marvin
Valentine, 55, pastor at the First Church of the Nazarene in
Sarcoxie, MO. He was shot in the doorway of his home after Sooter
knocked on the door. After shooting the Mr. Sooter broke into
the Sarcoxie post office that was closed for lunch and left
his weapon. When the office reopened, the postmaster discovered
the weapon and Sooter was arrested an hour later. Mark Sooter
was held in the Jasper County jail on a $150,000 bond.
Permit Seeking Preacher
was Armed With a Gun
Police arrested Melvin Doyle Glover, 63,
near the White House after they found a rifle in his car. Glover
told the court that he intended to seek a permit to preach near
the White House because he was “anointed by the Holy Ghost.”
He was charged with one felony count of carrying a dangerous
weapon and ordered held without bond pending psychiatric evaluations.
Pastor Arrested
for Firing Gun Into House
Associate minister Lamond Travis Miller,
pastor of the Cedar Grove Missionary Church, was arrested for
firing five shots into a house with four adults and three children.
He was charged with shooting into an occupied dwelling, attempting
to elude, reckless driving and reckless endangerment.
Concord, CA Man
Arrested in Deadly Church Assault
 Police
arrested Tevita Holani, 46, on suspicion of voluntary manslaughter
in the death of 56-year-old Taniela Sime. Holani allegedly hit
Sime with a microphone stand during choir practice after an
argument. The event occurred at Tongan United Methodist Church.
Sime was rushed to the hospital on Wednesday and died the following
Sunday due to his head injuries.
Four Injured In
Brawl During Church Mass
Central Falls, R.I.- Four people were injured
when a fight broke out at Saint Ephraim’s Church during
mass. There was a family feud and parishioners found refuge.
After the fight, four people were taken to the local hospital
for injuries and two were arrested for disorderly conduct. Similar
incidents have happened twice before with the same family.
Nude Swordsman Attacks
Churchgoers
A naked swordsman burst through the doors
of St. Andrew’s Roman Catholic Church in London, U.K.,
stabbing and slashing members. Ten people were injured. An off-duty
police officer named Tom Tracey ripped out an organ pipe and
wrestled the man to the ground. A bank clerk also pursued him
with a crucifix attached to a pole. Police arrested the 35 year
old man suspected in the attack. He was from the area but was
not known at St. Andrew’s.
Sexual
Crimes
More Charges After
Suit Settled
Photos of Boys Seized in Arrest of Ex- Austinite
Pornographic pictures of 65 boys were seized
from former Austin resident Roy Young, 29. He was charged in
two molestation cases in Washington state and also pleads guilty
to one count of rape of a child. Roy befriended many boys while
a youth volunteer at First Assembly of God in Austin and Whitestone
Assembly of God. Sgt. Michael Shane, said at least four claimed
to have been sexually abused by Young. He was arrested Nov.
4 by Yakima County officers in Washington after boys told police
that Young fondled them. Young attempted to set up Bible study
groups in Yakima County with young boys, including the ones
who accused him of molestation. The penalty range in Washington
is 12 to 14 months in prison. The penalty in Texas is up to
20 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine because it is a
second-degree felony. A $25,000 bond was set on the three charges.
Facing the Music-
Minister Turns Himself in to Police
after Sexual Assault Allegations Arise
McAllen- A Trinity Worship Center music
minister, Robert Franklin, was accused of sexually assaulting
a teenager. He turned himself in and faced three felony charges.
Allegations had arisen that he had sexually assaulted a 14 year
old boy for a month long period. The two met at church and the
boy wanted Franklin as his mentor. As they spent more time together,
Robert and the boy began to use marijuana and cocaine together.
The relationship later became sexual. The boy eventually told
a friend and his youth pastor Justin what was occurring. Franklin
was formally charged with indecency with a child and delivery
of a controlled substance and sexual assault. If convicted,
he could receive up to 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
His bond was at $300,000.
Nine Men Molested
by Pastor
Nine men said they were molested by Rev.
Gary Timmons who was the pastor at St. Bernard’s in Eureka,
California. An $830,000 settlement was reached. The men claimed
they were sexually assaulted between the years 1971-1978 and
the Santa Rosa Diocese was negligent. Timmons faced 13 criminal
accounts of oral copulation and lewd and lascivious conduct
involving four boys. An additional case that involved three
more was pending. Timmons was freed on a $250,000 property bond.
Because the statue of limitation expired, eleven of the thirteen
accounts may be invalid.
Breaking Faith
Fergus Falls, Minnesota.- Nazarene pastor
Mervin Kelly initiated sex with the church pianist who was suffering
from clinical depression related to incest. He told her of bestiality
experiences and wanted her to watch a homosexual experience.
Before he preached, he sometimes left a tissue with his semen
on the piano. After a criminal trial, he served a year in prison
for sexually exploiting his parishioner. He was released from
jail in February, but faces 14 years/ probation and must register
as a sex offender. The parishioner filed a civil suit against
Kelley and his former church.
Former Youth Minister
Sentenced in Boy’s Rape
A former youth minister, Anthony Spain,
31, was sentenced to eight years in prison after he pleaded
no contest to charges that he raped one of his congregation’s
13-year-old boys. Before his arrest, Spain had worked two years
as youth pastor at First Assembly of God Church which met at
Robertson County Senior Citizens Center. Spain was arrested
in June 2001 after the victim in the case told his parents he
had been fondled and received oral sex while spending the night
at Spain’s home. Spain must serve his sentence with the
Tennessee Department of Correction and has been jailed in lieu
of a $75,000 bond.
Youth Volunteer
Charged in North Carolina
Charlotte- Mecklenburg police have charged
church volunteer Russel Earl Miller with four counts of second-degree
sexual exploitation of a minor. He was arrested at youth group
retreat while with Myers Park Presbyterian Church members. He
has been charged with distributing child pornography. A person
convicted of a federal child pornography charge could face between
5- 40 years of prison. Previously, Miller was charged with indecent
exposure involving a juvenile in 1982 in Norfolk, VA. The investigation
that led to the charges began when Miller transferred pictures
of children to an FBI undercover agent. The FBI traced the screen
name of the sender to Miller’s home. When his house was
searched, they found about 195 pairs of panties, seven training
bras. One training bra had the girl’s name, age, and the
date 10/23/02. The agent also received a video file showing
girls performing sex on an unidentified man.
Church Volunteer
Charged in Sex Case
 Andrew
Lee Tonsager, 18, a volunteer at Lancaster Brethren in Christ
Church was charged with involuntary deviate sexual intercourse
and endangering the welfare of a child. He was arrested in November
when allegations arose that he performed oral sex on a 4 year
old boy in the church. Tonsager defaulted on$10,000 cash bail
and is at Lancaster County Prison until a district court hearing.
Pastor Sexually
Abuses While Counseling Female Parishioner
Rev. Haman Cross, pastor of Rosedale Baptist
Church was a speaker and author of books. He often spoke on
sexual purity and improving the married life of his congregants.
He began counseling Donna Scott who had been sexually abused.
After the birth of her son, she had lost interest in sex. He
exposed her to pornography, inappropriately touched her, and
engaged her in phone sex. Cross told her he was helping her.
A church secretary taped their sessions and eventually exposed
the affair. In 1997, Donna and her husband Bertram filed a lawsuit.
Cross filed a counter complaint saying that Mrs. Scott had caused
defamation. Mediators stepped in to settle the case. The church
was awarded $3500, Mr. Cross $5000, and the Scotts $15,000.
Teen Parishioner
Assault Suspect to Face Judge
Houston- Fidel Francisco Guicol, 30, was
charged with indecency with a child and was accused of raping
a teenager. He was a janitor at Second Baptist Church where
he attacked and raped the 14 year old girl. The man coaxed her
into an audiovisual room and told her he wanted to “mess
around.” When she attempted run, he caught up with her
and allegedly raped her behind a pew. Another parishioner interrupted
the attack and called police and the girl was sent to the hospital.
With the help of the witness and lab tests Guicol’s charges
may be aggravated assault. His bond was set at $30,000.
Abused All Kids
in His Care
Richard W. Weaverling, 18, a Williamsburg
church nursery worker pleaded guilty to molesting a 6 year old
girl and admitted molesting every child in his care. He received
a 10 year suspended sentence in a plea bargain to have the charges
that he molested a 2 year old boy dropped. Terms of the plea
agreement provide immunity for Weaverling from further criminal
prosecution in the first two cases. However, an investigation
is being conducted regarding the other children.
Church Bus Driver
Faces Sex Charges
A Marshfield , Missouri church bus driver,
Ronnie Scott Alexander, was charged with two counts of second-degree
statutory rape and a count of second-degree statutory sodomy.
Court documents say he had sex with an 11 year old girl and
inappropriately touched the other girl. They met at Mount Calvary
Assembly of God where he drove the bus and taught Sunday School.
Women Say Pastor
Molested Them
Eight women claim they were molested by
Gerald E. Ney in places such as the pastor’s home, a bakery,
and Liberty Baptist Church. An investigation began after a 16
year old reported to the police. Ney, 73, was charged with one
count of 1st degree criminal sexual conduct, four counts of
2nd degree, and one count each of 3rd and 4th degree criminal
sexual conduct, as well as a criminal misdemeanor of allegedly
being a sexually delinquent person.
Court: OAP Guilty
of Sex Assaults On Girl
 Pensioner
John Hibbert, 67, was found guilty for three charges of indecently
assaulting the daughter of a woman he met at church. It took
place over a six year period from when the girl was five to
eleven years old while he was living in Bretton, Peterborough.
The victim, now 19, did hot go to the police until she saw Hibbert
with his young niece. The victim thought this was normal because
she grew up with it and he seemed to be the only person interested
in her life. Hibberts was warned he would receive a prison sentence,
but the duration is still being decided.
Naked Preacher Pleads
Guilty
Rodriguez, pastor of Templo Getsemani Assembly
of God Church crashed a carload of naked Pentecostals into a
tree. He pleaded guilty to misdemeanor traffic charges. He told
police after his arrest that God had told them to leave Texas
and their clothes as well. He believed judgment day was at hand
and he needed to go to Florida to be an evangelist with his
family. Interestingly, the 19 passengers were not charged with
indecent exposure because their intentions were not to arouse
others.
Sexuality Counselor/Teacher
Charged
The Unitarian Universalist church vice
president David Reed Whitehead, 32, was charged with lewd and
lascivious assault. According to allegations, the youth counselor
who taught a sexuality course, had sexual activity with a 15
year old boy at least three times.
Former Teacher Pleads
Guilty To Fondling Student
A former Calvary Academy math teacher
in Riverton pleaded guilty to fondling a 15 year old female
student. Bruce Khan was sentenced by Judge Cavanagh to one year
probation and was fined $500. A 60 day jail sentence after the
probation term will be subject to court review. According to
court documents, Krahn asked the girl to stay after school.
After shutting off the lights and shutting the doors of his
class, he asked her sex related questions and fondled her and
suggested she touch him. Krahn was fired and his teaching license
revoked.
Day Care Owner Accused
of Fondling Children
After the owner of In His Steps Christian
Academy school, Gregory Hoenig, fondled a thirteen year old
girl, the school was closed. He pleaded guilty to 6 counts of
lewd and lascivious acts for an alleged incident that occurred
at his home during a youth group pool party.
Florida Pastor Refused
to Let Teen Leave
Charles Riggleman, a Jacksonville pastor,
was charged with attempted false imprisonment and battery. After
a 19 year old woman tried to leave an anti-abortion haunted
house, he was accused of touching and holding her against her
will.
Youth Minister Extradited
for Sexual Crimes
Trevor Scott Hanes, 28 was extradited from
Kentucky on 15 charges of committing lewd acts on a child in
California. He was in charge of youth activities at First United
Methodist Church for six years before he moved to a part-time
position at Second Presbyterian in Lexington. The incidents
started when the boy was twelve and occurred in various places
including a street corner in El Cajon... Hanes was put on leave
from Second Presbyterian until the investigation finishes.
Priests Banned for
Sexual Misconduct
Rev. Louis Peterson, pastor at St. Teresa
Church resigned because of allegations that he sexually abused
a 12 year old boy. The State Attorney of Illinois, Bob Haida,
said there was insufficient evidence to prosecute Peterson.
Rev. Raymond Kownacki was sued by a Michigan woman who claimed
the priest raped her and than attempted to abort her fetus 20
years ago.
Nun Sexually Abused
Teenage Student
A Boston, Massachusetts woman, Marya Danter-
Rosenthal, 44, filed a lawsuit against Sister Gael N. Biondo
who reportedly sexually molested Danter-Rosenthal for six years.
The abuse began when she was 14 years old and occurred in the
high school and in the school chapel. Danter-Rosenthal filed
additional charges for negligence against the Diocese of Detroit,
Dominican High School and the Adrian Dominican Sisters.
Christian School
Founder Guilty of Sexual Abuse
 Keystone
Christian Academy founder Roger B. Smith pleaded guilty to three
counts of 1ast degree misdemeanors including indecent assault
and sexual abuse of children. Assistant District Attorney (Pennsylvania)
Robert Kochems contended Smith touched girls under their clothes
while videotaping in his office.
Appeals Court Reinstates
Lawsuit
A lawsuit accusing Rev. Albert Magnuson,
pastor of Redeemer Covenant Church in Brooklyn Park, was reinstated
by the Minnesota Court of Appeals. He was accused of sexually
abusing a boy from ages 12-15. The three judge panel reversed
a lower court decision because it was unclear whether the statue
of limitation had expired. Several youths reported that Magnuson
molested them, and he served 10 months in jail after pleading
guilty to the molestation case in 1991. The Minnesota Court
of Appeals ordered new trials in May for 2 other former church
members that said they were molested by Magnuson.
Minister Accused
of Sexual Assault
Guadulupe Medrano is accused of sexually
assaulting one of his members. Medrano was a minister at Liberty
Christian Church. The woman says Medrano picked up the woman
at her apartment and took her to a secluded area. When the woman
refused sex, he grabbed her head and forced her. He is expected
to turn himself over to police soon.
Negligent
Hiring of Church Staff
 While
working as an associate pastor of a church in Groton, Massachusetts,
in 1991, Michael Cranford was convicted of indecent assault
and battery on a boy. Due to his conviction, he was barred from
working for, or volunteering with, organizations that work with
children under the age of 18. He subsequently moved to New Hampshire
where in January 2002 he was charged with sexually assaulting
a 14-year-old boy in Candia, New Hampshire, sometime between
September 1996 and June 1997.
After learning of the case in Candia, police
in Raymond, New Hampshire, began an investigation into allegations
that Cranford sexually assaulted another boy of approximately
14 years of age between January 1995 and December 1996. He was
eventually indicted. When these charges were filed, he was serving
as an associate pastor of a church in Raymond. As can be expected,
Cranford failed to tell church officials that he was a convicted
sex offender in Massachusetts. The church terminated his employment
upon learning of the charges.
Afterwards Michael Cranford applied to
work with children in a fire department’s “Explorer”
post without disclosing his conviction for sexual assault. He
was later charged with prohibitions of childcare service because
he continued to work with children in his position as youth
pastor and with the Candia Fire Department’s Explorer
program for high schoolers.
It is illustrative that the church in Raymond
conducted a criminal history check in New Hampshire, which showed
that Cranford had no criminal convictions in that state. Of
course, this did not reveal the conviction in Massachusetts.
Senior Pastor Gets
by Background Check
William Michael Altman, senior pastor of
Grace Christian Ministries, a nondenominational church, became
involved in a sexual relationship with a parishioner with whom
he was counseling for issues pertaining to being a victim of
molestation as a child, as well as depression and eating disorders.
Mr. Altman visited the parishioner in the hospital after a third
suicide attempt. Reverend Altman confessed to church leaders
and stated that the relationship was a consensual affair. If
a simple background investigation had been conducted on Michael
Altman prior to his appointment as pastor, it would have revealed
that he had been in prison for falsifying a $50,000 loan application.
Also, a background check would have revealed that Altman was
asked to resign by two former congregations.
Convicted Molester
Surrenders To Police
Vance Martin, a convicted child molester,
was accused of assaulting a girl from a youth Bible study. Martin
taught the course at Living Waters Assembly of God Church in
Fort Lupton. Martin was being held on $50,000 bond in Weld County
Jail. Martin is being held under a state law felony because
he failed to register as a sex offender with his address at
least four times a year. Martin was convicted of sexual assault
on a child in 1994. His appeal of his parole term resulted in
the Colorado Supreme Court ruling that required the release
of 1500 sex offenders in the last five years.
Negligent
Retention of Church Staff
Teen’s Parents
Sue Church For Millions- Minister Pleaded No Contest to Sex
Charges
 Donald
Wisdom, minister at Word of Life Assembly of God Church in West
Sacramento was accused of having a sexual relationship with
a 15 year old girl. The parents claim that denomination officials
knew of the relationship but let the minister remain in his
position at the church. The parents of the girl have sued the
church, its ministers, and its parent organization, the Northern
California and Nevada District Council of the Assemblies of
God for $10 million dollars. The case was settled out of court
but the amount of the settlement paid by the Assemblies of God
District Council is unknown. Wisdom pleaded no contest to nine
counts of having sex with a minor and was sentenced to one year
in jail.
California Diocese
Failed to Take Action
Civil suits were filed against Father Oliver
Francis O’ Grady and the Diocese of Stockton by two men
that claimed they had been molested by O’Grady. The suits
allege Cardinal Roger M. Mahoney was aware that O’ Grady
had a previous sex offense in 1976. The lawsuit states that
Mahoney and the church failed to take reasonable steps to end
the abuse.
Victim Refused Cash
Settlement
Despite the financial troubles brought
on by his illness from AIDS, Phillip Saviano refused a $15,500
settlement from the Diocese of Worchester because it would require
that he remain quiet about sexual advances from Father David
A. Holley. The diocese denied knowing about sexual abuse during
Holley’s tenure from 1962-1970, although the priest is
currently serving 275 years in prison for molesting children
in New Mexico.
Financial
Related Crimes
Church Embezzler
Draws 5 Years’ Probation
A former bookkeeper, Kimberly Broad, of
St. Patrick Catholic Church of Brighton received five years
probation in Livingston County Circuit Court Thursday for embezzling
what some estimate to be $208,000 from the church. She will
have to spend six months of the probation in county jail, pay
restitution for the money she stole, and receive alcohol abuse
counseling as part of the sentence handed down by Circuit Court
Judge Daniel Burress. Broad pleaded guilty to three charges
of felony embezzlement. Most of the stolen money was used for
home improvements. After his wife’s sentencing, David
Broad pleaded guilty to misdemeanor embezzlement from the church.
He used St. Patrick’s credit card for personal use without
the intention of paying back the church.
Woman Sentenced
to Two Years in Church Theft Case
A former church secretary was sentenced
to two years in prison for stealing more than $411,000 from
a church collection plate. She must repay the $411,000 to St.
Michael’s Roman Catholic Church. She was convicted of
one count of third-degree felony theft.
Sunday school Teacher
Swindled Parishioners
Atlanta, GA- Donald Eugene James, 36, who
taught a preschool Sunday school class at Calvary Assembly of
God in Dunwoody, GA swindled church members. He collected more
than $5 million in a four year period from trusting church members,
neighbors and friends who thought he was investing their savings
in a commodities pool. Instead, James deposited the money in
his own account. James is being held by Fulton County, GA on
charges of theft by conversion. His bail is set at $400,000.
Federal authorities believe at least 25 people in Georgia and
Florida invested between $200,000 and $300,000. There may be
as many as 50 victims. James was found guilty on four counts
and sentenced to ten years.
Woman Spared Prison
Time in Church Theft
Princess Anne- A Westover woman was convicted
in June for stealing several hundred dollars from a Fairmount
church. Caitlyn, 39, and mother of two apologized for taking
money at Christ United Methodist Church while she was treasurer.
In a plea bargain, 229 counts of theft were placed in an inactive
court file, but Caitlyn must repay $30,000 in scheduled increments
to the church. If she does not abide, she will be sent to jail.
The church congregation preferred restitution rather than punishment.
This influenced the judge’s decision.
Priest Gets Probation
in Fraud, Theft
Lebanon- Filip Velisavljevic, a Serbian
Orthodox priest was sentenced to 23 months probation for stealing
more than $4,000 form the Holy Resurrection of Christ Serbian
Orthodox Church. The light sentence disappointed parishioners
because Velisavljevic had pulled a gun in a scuffle with another
parishioner and shot his own foot in 2002. He was sentenced
six to 23 months. For this latest incident, he was sentenced
for unlawfully obtaining $4,463 in self-employment tax money
between 2000 and 2002. He was supposed to receive $3970 from
the church but claimed double that amount. Velisavljevic stepped
down as priest in April 2003 and faces a civil suit for allegedly
taking $5800 worth of items from the church as well.
Maryland Agent Charged
in Fraud Case
 Maryland
Attorney General Joseph Curran, Jr., filed criminal insurance
fraud charges against Dorothy Faye Mortimer, 61. In a 44 count
criminal indictment filed, Mortimer was charged with misappropriation
of insurance premiums, felony theft, exhibiting false documents
about the affairs of insurers, acting as an insurance producer
without being licensed to do so, and acting as an unregulated
insurer. Mortimer misappropriated and stole more than $130,000
in insurance premium payments by Matthews Memorial Baptist Church
by accepting 17 checks from the church that were intended to
be insurance premium payments. The possibility for charges include
the following if convicted:
- Misappropriation of premiums- 15 years
in prison and fined up to $10,000
- Felony theft- 15 years in prison and fined up to $1,000
- Exhibiting false documents-15 years and fined up to $10,000
Judge Orders Embattled
Pastor Locked Out of Vegas Church
A judge ordered Las Vegas pastor Hunter
locked out of his church. The congregation voted him out 96-21
due to allegations of sexual misconduct and looting the treasury.
The judge says his actions do not affect whether Hunter is the
pastor but the congregation can change the locks and ban him
from the property.
Man Sentenced to
40 Days for Scamming Pastors
Sioux Falls, SD- Victor Ortiz made up a
story to weasel money out of pastors. He was sentenced to 40
days in jail. He pleaded guilty in Walworth County to misdemeanor
counts of false impersonation and attempted theft by deception.
His story was that he was collecting money on behalf of a veteran
that had just come home from Iraq. Eleven or more communities
were targeted in South Dakota, North Dakota, and Nebraska. Rev.
Richard Riedel of the Plymouth Congregational Church of Christ
in Aberdeen was the first to realize that his stories did not
add up because he changed his stories at different places.
Rev. Henry Lyons
Ordered to Pay 5.2 Million For Bank Fraud and Tax Evasion;
Sentenced to Four Years in Prison
Rev. Henry Lyons, former president of the
National Baptist Convention USA, was ordered to pay 5.2 million
for bank fraud and tax evasion. Previously, the 57 year old
minister was bilking companies and stealing from charities.
He is already serving 5 ½ years for the state sentence
and is now sentenced to four years and three months for the
Federal crime. U.S. District Judge Henry Lee Adams Jr., said
the state and federal sentence would be served concurrently.
Lyons pleaded guilty to five counts related to his business
dealings as the president of the Baptist group.
Minister Ran Baldness
Cure Scam
A Mobile Alabama church pastor Arthur Mallard,
63, sold a “blue-goo” useless cream that he claimed
cured baldness. It had a petroleum base with fragrances and
dyes such as house paint. He sold it in various locations to
beauty supply stores. The federal grand jury found him guilty
of 208 charges including bankruptcy fraud, money laundering,
mail fraud, and tax evasion.
Property
Crimes
Man Gets 7 Years
for Church Burglaries
Timothy J. Verbunker Jr. committed dozens
of church burglaries in a seven-county area to fund a gambling
habit. He was sentenced to seven years in prison for his six
month spree. He was also ordered to serve five years of extended
supervision after prison, followed by 15 years of probation.
He was sentenced for break-ins at 34 churches from July 2002
to January 2003. He pleaded guilty to 22 burglary counts after
reaching agreements with the district attorneys in the seven
counties. Verbunker was finally caught when he entered a Hartford
church. A man noticed that he looked suspicious and called the
police which eventually pulled him over. Before releasing him,
police placed a tracking device on his car and their suspicions
were confirmed.
Gaston, NC Churches
Targets for Theft
Gaston County Police are looking for people
who have stolen from various churches in the county. Pastor
Ronel Harris and thieves broke into Bethesda Full Tabernacle
Church and stole about $60 from a missionary fund. Over the
past few weeks Sgt. Joseph Ramey has reported that there have
been approximately 8-10 burglaries in two specific areas of
Gaston County. There is no consistency in the times of the break-ins
or the types of churches. Sgt. Ramey says the church thieves
also have taken sound equipment and damaged cars to siphon gas
from them at some churches.
Church Burglary
Suspects Caught- Coeur d’ Alene
Two adults- Michael Stephen Voss and Todd
Stockton, and three boys, two 17 and one 16, have been charged
with a dozen burglaries. Three of the burglaries were at Christ
the King Lutheran Church with a $50,000 loss. The group is also
believed to be responsible for robberies at other establishments
as well such as a theme park, restaurant, and golf and tennis
club. Voss was arrested on eight felony accounts of burglary,
grand theft and malicious injury to property. His bail is set
at $75,000. The ring were all in some form of custody as the
investigation continued.
Teen Pleads Guilty
in Church Vandalism
Dedham, Mass. – An 18 year old man,
Andrew Studebaker, pleaded guilty to charges for vandalizing
a church in January 2004. His charges included breaking and
entering at night, destruction of a place of worship, and larceny
at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Stoughton, Mass.
He was sentenced to six months in jail, with one month served
directly and five months suspended, and three years of probation.
Studebaker will have to make restitution to the church for costs
not covered in insurance. A 14 year old boy faces charges in
juvenile court for vandalism as well. The two vandalized the
church on separate nights and caused an Estimated $10,000 in
damage.
Convicted Church
Burglar, Thief Sentenced to Prison
Coshocton- Earl Wohlheter had six months
in prison because he burglarized the Coshocton Church of the
Nazarene. He was charged with one count each of theft and breaking
and entering, both fifth degree felonies, in connection with
burglarizing the Nazarene church. He is accused of stealing
the alms box and a laptop. He has previous criminal convictions
as well. His motive for burglarizing the church was that he
was “broke and desperate for money” and admitted
being under the influence of narcotics. The court ordered him
to pay $250 restitution to the church and an additional $1,755.75
to the church’s insurance company.
Thieves Steal Church
Van Used to Serve Food to Needy
Sacramento- Thieves who stole a church
van have put a food program for the elderly out of business.
Another van the previous month had been vandalized and is now
only used for storage. Earlier, one of the vans was stolen from
a fenced storage area. However, Pastor Criste Silverio of a
Filipino- American Christian Fellowship refuses to let criminals
drive him away.
Vandalism Resumes
Against Church
There was a string of vandalism incidents
that occurred at Ss. Anargyroi Greek Orthodox Church in Rochester,
Minnesota. Problems started New Year’s Day with arson
at the church but there were also burglaries at the church,
screen doors slashed at the parish house, bullets placed in
mailboxes, a cars spray painted with an X and eggs thrown at
vehicles and the church. Red paint poured through the front
door mail slot of the priest’s home was the latest incident.
Rev. Kasemotes has added motion detectors to the house and more
security systems were installed at the church. Police investigator
Penny Micklus believed the incidents were related.
Church Worker Robbed
at Gun Point
Turner County, Georgia- Jamal Collins and
Maurice Bailey robbed Bethel Baptist Church. At first they said
they were headed to Atlanta and needed gas money. When the worker
said he couldn’t help, they pulled a gun and demanded
his wallet and car keys. The men took off south on the interstate
until Deputies in Lowndes County arrested them. Both men are
in Turner County jail on armed robbery charges.
Items Stolen While
Owner is in Church
The Adam’s County Sheriff’s
Department is investigating a Sunday morning vehicle break-in.
The vehicle belonged to Jodie Maller. Someone used an object
to drive a hole through the door to gain entry. Her pursethat
contained cash, credit cards, and personal items was stolen.
Vandalism in Church
The Sacred Heart Church at the Crescent
is closed from 1-6 pm due to vandalism and robberies. Thieves
used a crowbar open collection boxes and steal the contents.
There were other robberies at churches in the area and some
hired security firms to prevent vandalism.
Miscellaneous
Incidents
Suicide Attempted
in Memphis Church
Sharon Denise Johnson, 27, knelt at an
altar before Sunday services at Love Center Ministries Church
in Memphis, TN, and asked Pastor Bennett Dean to pray for her.
He, as well as 10-15 other members of the church prayed and
told her the words, “The Lord loves you.” Johnson
did not want the pastor to leave her. When Johnson walked to
the back of the church she shot herself in the base of the skull.
No one else was hurt. Johnson had been a church member for seven
years and was a counselor for troubled children. She was in
critical condition at the hospital.
Man Charged With
Assaulting Toddler- Nekoosa, WI
George J. Bidwell, a 37 year old man was
in court for charges connected with an attempted abduction.
His charge is first-degree sexual assault of a child On June
20, Bidwell went into Sacred Heart Church and picked up a toddler
while she was getting a drink. He touched her buttocks as he
carried her across the basement of the church. The mother appeared
when she heard her daughter crying. Bidwell disappeared but
later a woman saw him coming out of the men’s restroom.
. He could face a maximum sentence of 60 years in prison. A
$50, 000 cash bond was set for him.
Church Used as Methamphetamine
Lab
 The
kitchen at Bethel Moravian was used as a meth lab. A trustee
of the church came to drop off towels and thought it was strange
that the church was locked. He looked through the cracks and
saw a man running out the other door. The deputies were called
and they caught the man on foot. Ted Brewer, 22, of Leonard,
ND was charged with attempting to manufacture a controlled substance,
burglary and two counts of possessing drug paraphernalia. Pastor
Dave Sobek, pastor of the church, mentioned how meth explosions
kill several people each year.
Frightening Gunpoint
Robbery at Fairfield Church
A man burst in and robbed a group of people
at gunpoint at Solano Christian Academy. The gunman demanded
everyone’s purses and wallets, but only got away with
one wallet. The school with 35 children was briefly under lockdown
and a search was underway for the gunman.
“Healers”
Left Her Soiled and Crippled
Stroke victim, Charmaine Babb, 34, was
a victim of a bizarre faith healing church ritual. Rev. Junior
Mitchell, his wife Desrein, and her husband Curtis Babb exhorted
the wheelchair bound woman to walk. When she kept falling, the
pastor and his wife sliced her feet and set them on fire while
her husband watched. She was kept in captivity for nine days
at Great Deliverance Spiritual Baptist Church in Crown Heights
and was denied food and water. She was left with her soiled
diapers on her body. After paramedics found her deserted and
disoriented, her leg was later amputated. All three conspirators
are on trial at Brooklyn Criminal Court and face up to 15 years
if convicted.
Man Claimed to Be
a Pastor
Salesman Harold Ragin was charged with
sexual battery on a child in familial or custodial authority.
He and his wife watched the girl, 13, while the mother was at
work. He admitted penetrating the girl with his finger although
he blamed the girl for the incident. Although he was a member
of the Life Tabernacle Ministries, he claimed he was an associate
pastor when police questioned him.
Priest Named
in Hit & Run
Monsignor Theodore Opdenaker, a 78
year old priest, ran down an Hispanic woman with his car. A
tractor-trailer driver said he was slowing to pick the woman
up but lost sight of her after the priest struck her. The woman
was pronounced dead at the scene. The priest claimed he thought
he had hit a deer. The priest was charged in this incident for
leaving the scene of an accident and failing to report an accident.
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