Muskogee County prosecutors have charged a pastor with embezzling more than $360,000 from his church.
Pastor David Anthony Roe of New Hope Assembly of God, turned himself into the Muskogee County jail Friday afternoon.
Prosecutors say Roe stole the money from the church’s Missionary fund over the course of five years.
The affidavit for Roe says he stole a total of $364,248.49 from New Hope church from September 2019 to February 2024.
Prosecutors say Roe used the money for personal gain and later admitted to others at the church that he stole the money. They say Roe is no longer the pastor at the church and agreed to pay the money back.
District Attorney Larry Edwards says some of the congregation didn’t want charges filed, but Edwards says this is a crime.
“Any time you have somebody in a position of power whether it’s law enforcement, district attorneys, pastors. When they do something wrong they need to be held accountable.
It’s very important because we have to hold the people we admire to a standard,” said Edwards.
Roe’s bond is set at $5,000. His attorney told the judge Roe is working at a new job and is already working to pay the money back to the church.
News On 6 called the church and left a message but haven’t heard back.
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