Source: ajc.com
A Decatur pastor arrested on forgery charges in Smyrna Friday pleaded guilty in DeKalb County last month to unrelated theft charges under the first offender statute. Maurice Joseph Easley, 37, was given five years probation, ordered to pay $4,000 in restitution and complete 150 hours of community service for theft by taking. The case was settled on Nov. 6. Now the pastor of Sanctuary Church of the Living God in Scottdale is accused of funneling nearly $70,000 from a Smyrna apartment complex where he worked to his church’s checking account. Police say he took money from resident rent payments, security deposits and other fees from September 2007 to March 2008 while he was employed as a property manager at Mission Galleria Apartments. The missing money was discovered when the apartment complex conducted an audit early this year, Smyrna police spokesman Lt. Tony Leonard said. In addition to eight counts of forgery, Easley faces two theft by taking counts, which are also felonies. He is free on $75,000 bond. He did not return a reporter’s phone call on Tuesday.
Interesting story.
Posted by: varul | December 30, 2008 at 10:51 AM