A Louisiana pastor has been convicted of stealing more than $340,000 from two churches to fund his gambling habit and personal expenses, following a five-day trial that concluded with a federal jury finding him guilty on 25 counts.
Dale Sanders, 56, of Kenner, was found guilty of wire fraud, access device fraud, and obstruction of a federal investigation, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana. Prosecutors said Sanders misused money belonging to Fifth African Baptist Church in New Orleans and Second New Guide Missionary Baptist Church in Metairie, where he had served as pastor since 2013.
Between April 2020 and April 2024, Sanders transferred church funds into accounts under his control and used a church-issued debit card to make unauthorised personal purchases. Authorities said he obtained more than $340,000 in cash, goods and services through the scheme, using church money to cover gambling losses as well as everyday living and dining costs. Trial evidence pointed to specific transactions, including a $5,000 check Sanders deposited from the church, a roughly $1,172 purchase at a Hard Rock Hotel in Florida, about $1,300 in charges at a Mississippi casino, and even a $226 charge at a veterinarian’s office.
Federal prosecutors also accused Sanders of attempting to derail the investigation by submitting a falsified document in response to a grand jury subpoena, leading to the obstruction charge. His lawyer, Michael Magner, had argued that Sanders’ use of a church debit card was authorised by a corporate resolution between Sanders and leaders at the Metairie church, which they entered in 2018 after he agreed to stop taking a salary as the church sought to exit dire financial straits. Most of the spending detailed in the charges came out of the Metairie church’s accounts after that agreement was made.
After he was indicted in April, Sanders shared a video on social media asking members of his congregation to pray for his enemy rather than focus on the criminal case. He thanked churchgoers for calling, texting, and seeing him in person, and told them he could feel their prayers. He asked them to pray a Matthew 5:44 prayer for those who had accused him, insisting that God would deal with his enemies. He had earlier claimed in a video statement that he had actually worked without pay for four years to protect the church financially, insisting, “Let me submit to you today that I am a giver. I don’t steal, and I have not stolen from a church I’ve pastored.”
Outside the pulpit, Sanders was also the author of Strut Your Stutter, a book encouraging readers to embrace their individuality despite personal challenges. He regularly posted videos of sermons and church services across his social media platforms.
Sanders now faces up to 20 years in prison on the most serious charges, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years of supervised release, and mandatory special assessment fees. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 13.
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