Saturday, February 05, 2011

Pastor Danny O’Guin convicted

DannyOguinA Baptist pastor named Danny O’Guin was convicted on 8 counts of mail fraud.

Danny O'Guin, 63, the former pastor of the Parker Road Baptist Church in Florissant, was sentenced Friday to eight months in federal prison for mail fraud in a scheme that took money from his congregants from 2006 to 2009. O'Guin pleaded guilty in November. Prosecutors said he persuaded church members to make loans despite their reservations, on a false claim that the money would be used to rehab or pay off homes he owned outside Missouri. O'Guin was previously pastor at Tower Grove Baptist. U.S. District Judge Henry Autrey ordered O'Guin to pay more than $100,000 in restitution, with the specific amount still being determined.

Note to congregants – Don’t loan your pastor money to pay off that house in the next state over. It’s a scam.

O’Guin used his power and influence to compel his congregants to load him the money.

Between June 2006 and March 2009, O'Guin would borrow thousands of dollars from church members who -- according to the U.S. Attorney's Office -- felt compelled to enter the transactions with their religious leader.

Just say no. It’s easier.