Bishop Steven Parrott, Pleads Guilty to Misconduct by a Corporate Official, For Bilking Parishioners Out of Nearly $160,000

Another snake in the pulpit, Pentecostal bishop Steven Parrott, has pleaded guilty to bilking his Newark parishioners out of nearly $160,000. According the New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram, he pleaded guilty to misconduct by a corporate official. A statement released by the AG's office said, "in pleading guilty, Parrott admitted that he stole $157,580 from five victims named in the indictment." "Under the plea agreement, Parrott must pay full restitution to the victims, and the state will recommend that he be sentenced to three years in state prison." He deserves a sentence far greater than three years in prison. Crimes have been committed by some that are far less dangerous and the sentences have been greater than three years. This would amount to a slap on the wrist for this scumbag.

Parrott, the former pastor of the Lighthouse Temple on Market Street in Newark,  borrowed money from parishioners in 2005, saying he was about to receive a major grant from the government and would pay back the loans with interest. He fed many victims with different reasons for the loan --  a fictitious after-school program, necessary church repairs, or burying a family member. Parrott deserves more than three years in prison for what he did to one victim of this scam -- Cynthia Fleming, who suffered from the untimely death of her son, James Jenkins, a decorated Iraq war veteran who killed himself in 2005. She was awarded a sizable death benefit for her son's death and guess who came a-calling? Bishop Parrott. When the settlement was finally awarded, after a long fight with the insurance agencies involved, he told Fleming that God wanted him to borrow $25,000. According to the Star-Ledger, Fleming recalled him saying, "The Lord told me to ask," Fleming recalled Parrott saying at the time. "It’s for my church." He invoked God several more times and got $75,000 from Fleming.

What's sad is that Ms. Fleming is currently living in Burlington County with her daughter and grandchildren because she cannot afford her own home. This woman did not deserve this and the pastor took advantage of her in her state of mourning for her son. Of course, Parrott took, what seemed to be the easy way out for himself -- declaring bankruptcy in 2005.  We have heard too many cases in which pastors have robbed their parishioners, many of whom are poor and barely making ends meet. This is a shame and a slap on the wrist will not deter the behavior of these wolves in sheep's clothing.


Photo credit:  Steven Parrott, NJ Star-Ledger