A United States pastor, Dale Sanders, has been found guilty of stealing more than $340,000 from two churches in Louisiana, with the funds allegedly used to finance his gambling addiction and other personal expenses.
Sanders, 56, was convicted by a jury on 25 counts, including wire fraud, access device fraud and obstruction of a federal investigation, following a five-day trial before U.S. District Judge Brandon Long.
The conviction was announced in a statement by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana, published on the U.S. Department of Justice website.
According to federal prosecutors, Sanders fraudulently obtained money and property from two churches through false representations and deceptive schemes.
“SANDERS would withdraw funds and transfer money held in Church A’s bank accounts to accounts controlled by SANDERS. The money was used to fund his personal expenditures, to include gambling, dining, and living expenses.”
Prosecutors further stated that Sanders also made unauthorised personal purchases using one of the church’s debit cards.
“SANDERS utilised Church A’s debit card for unauthorised personal transactions and received cash, goods and services totalling over $340,000 that he was not entitled to.”
In addition to the fraud charges, the jury found Sanders guilty of obstructing a federal investigation after he submitted a falsified record in response to a grand jury subpoena.
Judge Brandon S. Long has fixed October 13, 2026, for Sanders’ sentencing.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said the pastor faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss resulting from the offences, up to three years of supervised release after serving his prison term, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100 for each count of conviction.
U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New Orleans Field Office for conducting the investigation, while Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn McHugh and Tracey Knight of the Financial Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
