Pastor Who Defrauded Church Fights To Avoid Probation
David Thompson, a former pastor from Ohio, is seeking to challenge the length of his community control sentence, which he argues exceeds the state’s five-year limit. Thompson, who led the World of Pentecost Church in Columbus from 1998 to 2007, was convicted in 2010 of 21 felonies, including theft, forgery, and engaging in corrupt activities. He was sentenced to five years in prison for 19 charges and received an additional five years of community control for two other felonies, along with a restitution order to pay the church $733,048.
After appealing in 2011, Thompson’s theft conviction and restitution amount were reduced. In 2015, he was granted early release from prison but was required to continue paying restitution and adhere to the terms of community control. However, Thompson violated these terms in 2019 by failing to make proper payments towards the restitution, which left him with an outstanding balance of $621,377.50. Despite his minimal payments, he was found to have taken several trips, including for his wedding and honeymoon, which led to further scrutiny.
The court found that Thompson had been underemployed and had not made sufficient efforts to meet his restitution obligations. As a result, the court decided he must return to prison to serve the remaining 11 months of his original sentence and finish his five-year community control for the two felonies. Thompson continued to appeal, arguing that Ohio law limits community control to five years, and that since he had already served a term of five years following his 2015 release, he should not be required to serve an additional term.
In the most recent appeal, the Tenth District Court upheld the decision, including the second five-year period of community control. Thompson has now taken his case to the Ohio Supreme Court, which has agreed to hear the appeal. The outcome of this case will determine whether Thompson’s community control sentence will be adjusted or upheld.
Thompson’s case highlights the complexities of legal sentences and appeals, especially when challenging the length of community control. His situation has drawn attention due to the significant financial restitution he owes and the ongoing legal battles regarding the terms of his sentence. The Ohio Supreme Court’s decision will be pivotal in determining how state law applies to his case and whether the five-year limit on community control should be enforced.