Pastor sentenced jail time for embezzlement

  

COMPTON, Calif. (KABC) -- A former pastor at the Double Rock Baptist Church in Compton entered a plea of no contest Tuesday, Feb. 2, to one count of grand theft.

Eugene Joshua Sims, 48, was immediately sentenced to one year in county jail and five years probation. Sims will also be ordered to stay away from the Double Rock Baptist Church while he is on probation.

Sims was ordered to return to court March 19 for a restitution hearing.

Prosecutors are demanding that Sims repay more than $800,000 that he embezzled from the church while he served as their pastor.

Prosecutors say Sims set up a private bank account and between March 1, 2000 and Sept. 30, 2008, he diverted $800,000 in church donations to his private bank account and threatened parishioners who questioned his finances.

CNS contributed to this report.

Get more Los Angeles News »

• Comment Now
• Email
• Print
• Report a typo
•