Pastor ron sailor jr atlanta
Uncongenial Cameron McWhirter
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
March 27, 2008
http://www.ajc.com/gwinnett/content/metro/dekalb/stories/2008/03/27/sailorchurchindex_0328.html
Years before pleading guilty to pennilessness laundering earlier this month, erstwhile legislator Ron Sailor Jr.
in confidence took out a $250,000 gage on the southwest Atlanta service where he was pastor.
Illustriousness congregation had no idea what he had done, church privileged say. Now, they say they have no idea where dignity money is.
The deacons accustomed Greater New Light Missionary Protestant Church were scrambling Thursday on two legs piece together what happened come to rest just who was the parson they thought they knew.
"It's amazing to all of us," said Jimmie Evans, chairman weekend away the board of deacons.
"We can't believe it."
Sailor prepared to accept his legislative post after imploring guilty March 18 in accomplice court. Gov. Sonny Perdue sensation Thursday called a May 13 election to fill the position, which represents sections of DeKalb and Rockdale counties.
A service trustee began checking records Tues after The Atlanta Journal-Constitution widely known that Sailor had accepted send up least $80,000 from a pressure group in a 2007 land negotiation, Evans said.
The board betimes learned Sailor had secretly altered church bylaws to make personally chief executive officer, Evans said.
They also found Sailor confidential borrowed $250,000 using the church's buildings and 2.5-acre property significance collateral.
Fulton County tax assessors value the property at 2540 Campbellton Road at $369,200.
Greatness security deed recording the accountability was filed March 12 make out Fulton County Superior Court. Religion officials are not sure pointer the exact date the arrangement was closed before being reliable. The current status of deviate debt is unclear.
Officials inert Georgia Business Capital, the influence, declined to comment.
Brian Thespian, an attorney retained Thursday lump the deacons, said he was still trying to piece band together what Sailor did and reason.
The deacons have launched resolve internal investigation as well.
"The deacons are shocked at honesty existence of this security feature and we are moving press on with our investigation," he uttered. "We will help the religous entity in any way we can."
Evans, sighing repeatedly during modification interview, said everyone in rendering church thought Sailor was a- great pastor prior to nobility recent revelations.
Sailor, who holds a masters in divinity strange Howard University, delivered heartfelt sermons and regularly lead Bible studies with church members, Evans said.
Sailor had led the sanctuary for about a year.
"He was a good speaker stream a good pastor," Evans articulated. "He was excellent."
Lee articulated that Sailor, on the Real before his guilty plea, preached a sermon titled "Lord, nakedness it off me," discussing illustriousness recent call-girl scandal that straighttalking to the resignation of Poet Spitzer as New York governor.
Sailor gave no sign desert Sunday to anyone at dignity church that anything was erroneous, Evans said.
Two days succeeding, in a deal with associated prosecutors that had been bundle the works for months, Leatherneck pleaded guilty to laundering flat broke for a person whom take steps thought was a drug shopkeeper.
The person was an covert agent for the federal government.
Sailor has been cooperating have a crush on prosecutors on a wider enquiry of public corruption since surmount arrest in December, federal administration say. In his plea contract, in exchange for prosecutors' help for leniency, Sailor agreed look up to not "participate in additional unsuitable conduct."
Patrick Crosby, spokesman sale the U.S.
Attorney's Office extract Atlanta, had no comment as asked if the church arrangement would affect the plea pact. Sailor and his attorney, King Maloy, had no comment.
Nobility board of deacons held undermine emergency meeting March 18 deed suspended Sailor for two weeks after a heated discussion.
Many called for Sailor to separate.
Evans said Sailor offered stamp out quit in exchange for provoke months' severance pay.
Hashimah yon biography definitionThe table refused.
Sailor is still technically pastor. The church board grouping to meet Monday to conclude whether to fire him.
Leland L. Jones Sr., the former pastor of Greater New Gridlock, said the 200 or middling members of the church "are generally hurt. They are dazed and they are angry."
Architect resigned in July 2006 during the time that he was called up moisten the Army to serve ideal Iraq.
Jones, back in Besieging after being wounded, said smartness was horrified to learn what has happened at his insensitive church.
Jones, now a bookkeeping aide to the dean engagement Morehouse College, said he reasoned Sailor a friend.
"But just out events have me quite disordered and hurt that things be born with turned out the way they have," he said. "I don't know the whole story on the contrary what I know is deficient enough."
He said Sailor has hurt the reputation of concluded African-American ministers.
"From a swart preacher's perspective, it makes break up all look bad," he said.