Valley pastor, wife charged with theft

Francis Scarcella, The Daily Item, Sunbury, Pa.
·2 min read

Aug. 9—SUNBURY — A Valley pastor and his wife face more theft charges after an investigation that led to their arrest last year for allegedly stealing funds from the Calvary Tabernacle Church turned up more misused funds.

State police say Gary and Cindy Smith, of Milton, face more felony theft charges after troopers said an investigation showed the couple misused $13,660 in funds in 2017. The Smiths are set to appear in front of Northumberland County Judge Paige Rosini on Sept. 3 for the 2020 charges. They will appear before Sunbury District Judge Mike Toomey on the additional theft charges filed on Aug. 5.

The Smiths were charged last year with allegedly misusing $8,000 in funds from the church after a complaint was filed by a former employee, troopers said.

Stonington state police said they received a call from the Northumberland County District Attorney's Office in May 2020 about a report of funds being misused at the church.

Troopers began to investigate and said they spoke to an employee who told police they believed there was a misappropriation of funds happening at the church.

The individual told troopers she was instructed by the pastor's wife to make payments on 20 credit cards that were in her name and both the Smiths' names, according to troopers.

The individual also told troopers she was ordered to pay bills for SiriusXM Radio, a bike and kayak, according to troopers. Troopers said they obtained search warrants for the bank the church conducts business with and discovered the Smiths had misused the funds.

The Smiths each face felony charges of theft by deception, theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property and theft by failure to make required disposition of funds received

Both are out of jail on $10,000 unsecured bail.

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