Pastor Accused Of Stealing $70K, Giving It To Church

Smyrna police said the pastor of a metro Atlanta church funneled money from an apartment complex where he worked during the week to his church's account.

Police said all they did was follow the money. Security deposits meant to go to former tenants of a Smyrna apartment complex ended up in an unusual bank account.

"Where these security deposit refund checks were issued by the company and then the victim's names were forged on the checks and they were deposited into an account for the Sanctuary Church of the Living God in Decatur," said Lt. Tony Leonard with the Smyrna Police Department.

It turned out one of the property managers at Mission Galleria was Maurice Easley, who happens to be pastor of the aforementioned Sanctuary Church of the Living God.

VIDEO: Pastor Accused Of Stealing $70K, Giving It To Church

Police said their investigation expanded, eventually totaling nearly $70,000 of deposits, rent payments, and fees meant for the apartment complex. Police said the money was instead directed to the church.

"What Mr. Easley was doing apparently was he was playing musical money with some of the checks. He was using some accounting fraud practices to cover his trail to what he was doing," said Leonard.

An arrest warrant said the thefts started in 2006 and went through early 2008, when the apartment company did an audit.

Pastor Easley was not at the home listed as his address Monday and an administrator reached at the church would not comment.

Many of the victims, police said, probably still don't know they are victims.

"Since many of these people that were supposed to be receiving these checks were no longer residents there and may not have been aware they were supposed to be receiving a security deposit refund, they weren't aware the checks were missing," said Leonard.

Easley bonded out of the Cobb County Jail on a $75,000 bond.