A former Compton pastor pleaded no contest Tuesday to a charge of grand theft for embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from the Double Rock Baptist Church, according to prosecutors.
Eugene Joshua Sims, 48, is expected to received one year in county jail and five years probation in exchange for his plea when he returns to court for sentencing in March, said Deputy District Attorney Tracey Stevens. Stevens is also scheduled to have a restitution hearing at the time and prosecutors are asking that he repay more than $800,000 he stole from the Compton church.
Sims entered his plea just as his preliminary hearing was scheduled to begin at the Compton Superior Court. In addition to the jail time, he has also been ordered to stay away from the church while he is on probation. He can, however, conduct services at other churches, Stevens said.
The criminal complaint states that between March 1, 2000 and Sept. 30, 2008, Sims allegedly set up a private bank account and diverted offerings that members gave to the church into his private account. When church members raised questions Sims allegedly threatened them to keep quiet.
In exchange for his plea, one felony count of witness tampering and one felony count of money laundering will be dropped when he is sentenced, Stevens said.
Sims is scheduled to be sentenced on March 19.
Eugene Joshua Sims, 48, is expected to received one year in county jail and five years probation in exchange for his plea when he returns to court for sentencing in March, said Deputy District Attorney Tracey Stevens. Stevens is also scheduled to have a restitution hearing at the time and prosecutors are asking that he repay more than $800,000 he stole from the Compton church.
Sims entered his plea just as his preliminary hearing was scheduled to begin at the Compton Superior Court. In addition to the jail time, he has also been ordered to stay away from the church while he is on probation. He can, however, conduct services at other churches, Stevens said.
The criminal complaint states that between March 1, 2000 and Sept. 30, 2008, Sims allegedly set up a private bank account and diverted offerings that members gave to the church into his private account. When church members raised questions Sims allegedly threatened them to keep quiet.
In exchange for his plea, one felony count of witness tampering and one felony count of money laundering will be dropped when he is sentenced, Stevens said.
Sims is scheduled to be sentenced on March 19.
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