Priest Bites Woman, Dead Body Found Behind Church and more...
Before we break down this week’s crime digest of this week’s criminal activity at churches around the country, I wanted to give you a heads up about a great deal for those that cannot afford a named brand handgun.
Palmetto State Armory makes a Glock 19’ish handgun called the Dagger Compact. I own one and have found that it is exactly like the Glock it mimics, except for the trigger. The trigger is like a Smith and Wesson trigger. I know funds can be tight, but if you are looking for a carry gun for church or just to practice your ABC’s, I would go with this. Matt over at 2A Cops and I did a budget gun test and this one came in #1 in our opinion. At $259, you can’t beat what you get for the price. I saw this on sale and felt that I needed to give you a heads up. It’s the cheapest I’ve seen.
In this edition
1. CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS
Church Security Team Member Sentenced for Fatal Church Parking Lot Shooting
Nashville Police Seek Man Who Fired Gun During Church Confrontation
Fort Myers Police Investigate Death Behind Church
Priest Bites Woman at Mass After Denying Her Communion
Day Care Employee at Springdell Baptist Church Charged with Child Abuse
Man Fatally Shot and Found Behind Lakeshore Christian Church
2. SEXUAL ASSAULT
Las Vegas Pastor Reaches Plea Agreement in Sex Crimes Case
Southern Baptist Pastor Charged with Obstructing Sex Crime Probe
3. PROPERTY CRIME
Former Church Employee Accused of Embezzling $775,000 from Tampa Parish
4. INTERNATIONAL STORIES
Protestant Woman on Trial in Occupied Ukraine for Prayer Meeting
Man Shot by Police After Attempting to Burn Down Synagogue in Rouen, France
Kidnapping of Priest in South Sudan Heightens Clergy Fears
CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS
Church Security Team Member Sentenced for Fatal Church Parking Lot Shooting
George Ryan Walters, a former reserve deputy with the Jones County Sheriff's Department, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the second-degree murder of James Corey Donald in April 2023. Walters, 44, of Laurel, Mississippi, will serve 10 years in prison followed by 10 years on probation. The incident occurred during an altercation at The Rock Pentecostal Church in Laurel, where Walters was working as a security team member. The sentencing follows Walters' plea deal to a lesser charge after initially being charged with first-degree murder and aggravated assault.
I’m looking for more information on this case. I understand there is surveillance video of the incident. If you have more information (like how the argument started, what it was over, if the other man attended the church, etc) I’d love to hear about it. I think this would be a good case study for other safety ministry members.
With that said, MS does have a law that allows for immunity for church safety team members working for the church. However, no law will protect you if you act with gross negligence. People have a poor understanding of qualified immunity. It doesn’t protect you if you are willfully negligent. It protects you when you are performing an act within the accordance of law. In most churches, it is easier to get on the safety team where people carry guns then it is on the worship team. If you can't sing and can't play an instrument, you won't get on the worship team. However, many churches will let somebody come on the safety team simply because they were prior military, prior law-enforcement, or have a CCW. You must be pickier in personnel selection than the worship team.
"A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back." (Proverbs 29:11, ESV)
Nashville Police Seek Man Who Fired Gun During Church Confrontation
Detectives in Nashville are requesting the public’s help to identify a man who discharged a firearm during a confrontation with volunteers at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church on Nolensville Pike. The incident occurred late Saturday night when the man, walking his dog, began yelling at volunteers managing traffic for an evening mass. After drawing his gun and firing a shot into the ground, a volunteer responded by discharging his own weapon into the pavement, prompting the man to flee. The suspect, believed to be a local resident, has been seen in the area previously. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463.
OK. It’s super important that you watch my breakdown of this incident. Bottom line, WARNING SHOTS ARE NOT OK!
Fort Myers Police Investigate Death Behind Church
The Fort Myers Police Department is investigating the death of a man found behind Solid Rock Church at 3418 Fowler Street. The man, identified as Guy Nally Noncent, was discovered around 3:10 a.m. on Saturday, shortly before his 29th birthday. Pastor Altchence Alteme reported being shocked upon arriving at the church and finding it swarmed with police. Authorities are seeking information from the public to assist with the investigation and are encouraging anyone with tips to contact the FMPD or Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers.
Again, you’ll need a 4k video system. This would help the police tremendously. When people are in trouble, they often flee to a church if it is nearby because we all know it should be a place of safety. Unfortunately, they bring the danger with them when they come to us.
Priest Bites Woman at Mass After Denying Her Communion
An altercation at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in St. Cloud, Florida, resulted in police recommending battery charges against a priest. The incident occurred during a Sunday Mass when a woman was denied communion by the priest, leading to a confrontation in which the priest allegedly bit the woman. The woman and a witness claim she was denied communion due to her attire and sexuality, while the priest asserts he was protecting the sanctity of the communion bread. The Diocese of Orlando has not yet commented on the incident.
Watch the story below just so you can watch some of the video. It is apparent to me that the priest was acting in self defense and the woman was there to provoke a reaction to further her cause. Below, I am posting my class on deescalation. I recommend everyone take it. This could have been avoided with a solid security team in place. We should all expect this to happen at our church as alternative groups in our community use our sacred space as a place to bring attention to whatever sin based cause they are promoting.
Day Care Employee at Springdell Baptist Church Charged with Child Abuse
A 48-year-old woman, Amanda Dee Ann Henry, was arrested in Lancaster County, South Carolina, for allegedly abusing a boy at the Springdell Baptist Church day care. The incident, which occurred in April, involved Henry shoving the boy to the ground, kicking him, and dragging him by his ears. The boy's parents noticed injuries on their child and contacted authorities, who confirmed the abuse through surveillance footage. Henry was charged with cruelty to children and released on a $2,500 bond.
Man Fatally Shot and Found Behind Lakeshore Christian Church
Nashville police are investigating the death of 18-year-old Rickey O. Hale, who was found fatally shot behind Lakeshore Christian Church on Bell Forge Lane in Antioch. The body was discovered around 8:40 a.m. on Thursday in the 700 block of Bell Road after someone reported it to authorities. Police are currently working to determine the circumstances leading to the shooting.
SEXUAL ASSAULT
Las Vegas Pastor Reaches Plea Agreement in Sex Crimes Case
Bobby Cornealius Smith, a pastor at New Beginnings Ministries in North Las Vegas, has agreed to a plea deal in a legal case involving multiple sex offense charges. Smith pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of gross lewdness and conspiracy to commit a crime. As part of the agreement, he will serve one year of probation and will be required to register as a sex offender. During his probation, Smith is prohibited from being alone with children other than his own. Despite the charges, Smith remains listed as the pastor of New Beginnings Ministries.
If this happens to your pastor, get a new pastor. This is a good reason you do background checks as well. If your pastor has an arrest that pops up on a background check, do a search for the original crimes. Often, suspects will plea down to lesser offenses so the conviction doesn’t look as bad as what the actual crime was.
Southern Baptist Pastor Charged with Obstructing Sex Crime Probe
Matthew Queen, a former interim provost at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, has been indicted on federal obstruction of justice charges related to a 2023 sexual abuse case at the seminary’s undergraduate college. Prosecutors allege that Queen lied about his involvement in a meeting where an employee was ordered to destroy a document detailing abuse allegations. Now a senior pastor at Friendly Avenue Baptist Church in Greensboro, North Carolina, Queen denies the charges and insists on his integrity. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.
If your church has a scandal like this, DO NOT DESTROY EVIDENCE OF THE CRIME! I don’t get why pastors and church admin do things like this. It goes against everything we stand for. Just don’t.
Isaiah 1:17:
“Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.”
PROPERTY CRIME
Former Church Employee Accused of Embezzling $775,000 from Tampa Parish
Christ the King Catholic Church in South Tampa has revealed that a former employee allegedly stole $775,000 from the parish's operating account over the past five months. The Diocese of St. Petersburg reported that the theft, which went undetected due to ongoing construction and other financial activities, was discovered recently. The individual responsible has admitted guilt and agreed to a plea in federal court, which will include full repayment and other penalties. The Diocese assured parishioners that their personal information was not compromised and informed them of the situation during recent masses.
INTERNATIONAL STORIES
Protestant Woman on Trial in Occupied Ukraine for Prayer Meeting
A Protestant woman in her early fifties is on trial in the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia Regional Court in occupied Ukraine, accused of spreading false information about the Russian armed forces during a prayer meeting in Melitopol in July 2023. The Russian Investigative Committee claims she led a banned religious organization, although sources indicate she was a regular church member. The woman has been under arrest since early 2024 and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted. This trial is part of broader Russian efforts to suppress Ukrainian religious communities and enforce Russian law in occupied territories.
"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." — Matthew 5:10 (NIV)
Man Shot by Police After Attempting to Burn Down Synagogue in Rouen, France
French police fatally shot a man who was attempting to set fire to a synagogue in Rouen, Normandy, on May 17, 2024. The suspect, armed with a knife and iron bar, was seen trying to start a fire at the synagogue when officers arrived. He then reportedly charged at the police, leading them to shoot him. The incident has prompted two investigations: one into the attempted arson and another into the man's death. Rouen's mayor expressed that the entire city is in shock, emphasizing that the attack affects the whole community, not just the Jewish population.
This is probably more fallout from ISIS’s call to attack churches and synagogues. Keep your head up and stay alert. This will continue.
Kidnapping of Priest in South Sudan Heightens Clergy Fears
The mysterious disappearance of Rev. Luke Yugue and his driver, Michael Gbeko, in South Sudan has alarmed Christians and clergy across the nation. The two were reportedly kidnapped by ethnic militia forces on April 27 while traveling from Nagero Catholic parish to Tombura county. This incident, which underscores the ongoing instability in the country, has prompted religious leaders to urge the government for action and declare a state of emergency in the affected region. The situation in South Sudan remains precarious, with numerous church leaders having been kidnapped or killed during the country's turbulent history.
Not really getting how this follows the teachings of Jesus Christ...
Here is a link to the shooting that resulted in the church security team member being convicted.
https://www.wdam.com/2023/08/17/murder-charges-upgraded-against-jones-co-reserve-deputy-deadly-church-shooting/