Former pastor indicted on 17 counts
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A former Greenfield pastor has been indicted on 17 counts after he allegedly stole funds from the Good Shepherd Church.
On Tuesday, May 4, 2010, a grand jury in Highland County Common Pleas Court issued a 17-count indictment against, James A. Blaine, age 61, currently of San Antonio Texas, and formerly of Greenfield, related to a theft case involving the Good Shepherd Church in Madison Township, where he formerly served as pastor.
The counts involve 13 counts of forgery, each a felony of the fifth degree; one count of unauthorized use of property, a felony of the fourth degree; one count of forgery, a felony of the third degree, and two counts of aggravated theft, each a felony of the third degree.
The charges are the result of a seven month long investigation by Highland County Sheriff’s Office Detectives into allegations that James A. Blaine stole money from the church, which he facilitated by forging names and documents that were then submitted to financial institutions, where Blaine obtained money in the name of the church for his personal use. The incident was alleged to take place over a period of 2004 to 2009.
Blaine was originally arrested on April 27, 2010, on one count of Theft filed in Highland County Court, when he returned to Ohio from Texas to attend a bankruptcy hearing on a case he initiated. Blaine was arraigned on April 28, 2010, by Judge David Mckenna, sitting by assignment in County Court. The case was then presented to the Grand Jury on May 4, 2010, where the additional charges were issued. Blaine will be scheduled for an arraignment in Highland County Common Pleas Court before The Honorable Judge Rocky Coss in the near future. Blaine remains incarcerated at the Highland County Justice Center pending his arraignment in Common Pleas Court.
A former Greenfield pastor has been indicted on 17 counts after he allegedly stole funds from the Good Shepherd Church.
On Tuesday, May 4, 2010, a grand jury in Highland County Common Pleas Court issued a 17-count indictment against, James A. Blaine, age 61, currently of San Antonio, Texas, and formerly of Greenfield, related to a theft case involving the Good Shepherd Church in Madison Township, where he formerly served as pastor.
The counts involve 13 counts of forgery, each a felony of the fifth degree; one count of unauthorized use of property, a felony of the fourth degree; one count of forgery, a felony of the third degree, and two counts of aggravated theft, each a felony of the third degree.
The charges are the result of a seven-monthlong investigation by Highland County Sheriff’s Office Detectives into allegations that James A. Blaine stole money from the church, which he facilitated by forging names and documents that were then submitted to financial institutions, where Blaine obtained money in the name of the church for his personal use. The incident was alleged to take place over a period of 2004 to 2009.
Blaine was originally arrested on April 27, 2010, on one count of Theft filed in Highland County Court, when he returned to Ohio from Texas to attend a bankruptcy hearing on a case he initiated. Blaine was arraigned on April 28, 2010, by Judge David McKenna, sitting by assignment in Highland County Court. The case was then presented to the grand jury on May 4, 2010, where the additional charges were issued. Blaine will be scheduled for an arraignment in Highland County Common Pleas Court before Judge Rocky Coss in the near future. Blaine remains incarcerated at the Highland County Justice Center pending his arraignment in Common Pleas Court.
[[In-content Ad]]Highland County Prosecutor Jim Grandey told the Highland County Press that Blaine resigned from the Good Shepherd Church at the request of the area Bishop.
An affidavit out of Highland County Court in Greenfield dated April 26, states that Det. Sgt. Daniel Croy said, "in October 2009, Highland County Sheriff's Office received complaints from church board members with the Good Shepherd Church, located at 12920 State Route 28 Greenfield ... The complaints consisted of possible forgeries involving these board members' signatures on bank loan-related records in order to facilitate a theft offense. An investigation was then initiated and through the last seven months records have been obtained from a variety of financial and banking institutions. Upon review of these records, as well as conducting numerous interviews, it was found that from a period starting in January 2004, through December 2009, James A. Blaine obtained money illegally using the Good Shepherd Church name and information. From 2004 to 2009, James A. Blaine took over $100,000 and less than $500,000 beyond the consent and authority of the Good Shepherd Church."
Blaine's arrest is the third case in the past year in Highland County regarding people allegedly stealing funds from area churches. Nancy Williams pleaded guilty in April to stealing more than $40,000 from St. Benignus Church in Greenfield, and Dennis Butler was sentenced to three years in prison in April for stealing $200,000 from the Sugar Tree Ridge Church of Christ.
The Highland County Sheriff's Office said the three cases are unrelated, though Sheriff Ron Ward said the one "common denominator" in each case was a "complete lack of oversight" of the people who had access to church funds and accounts.
Blaine's attorney, Marc Ross of Dayton, said during arraignment last week that Blaine had no prior criminal convictions.
Ward told the Highland County Press that Blaine's record in the Highland County court system is "sealed" and that he could not comment further.
Blaine's arrest is the third case in the past year in Highland County regarding people allegedly stealing funds from area churches. Nancy Williams pleaded guilty in April to stealing more than $40,000 from St. Benignus Church in Greenfield, and Dennis Butler was sentenced to three years in prison in April for stealing $200,000 from the Sugar Tree Ridge Church of Christ.
The Highland County Sheriff's Office said the three cases are unrelated, though Sheriff Ron Ward said the one "common denominator" in each case was a "complete lack of oversight" of the people who had access to church funds and accounts.
Blaine's attorney, Marc Ross of Dayton, said during arraignment last week that Blaine had no prior criminal convictions.
Ward told the Highland County Press that Blaine's record in the Highland County court system is "sealed" and that he could not comment further.