A North Carolina pastor named Jeffrey Brian Merrow, 60, has been charged with felony embezzlement and felony larceny. Merrow was a pastor at the Garden Creek Baptist Church, with members of the congregation accusing Merrow of allegedly using the church's funds for personal gain.
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According to the McDowell County Sheriff's Office, which posted a
statement on Facebook on January 17, an investigation carried out by Deputy Alicia Lund started back on October 28, 2024. She was investigating possible embezzlement, fraud, and theft. At Garden Creek Baptist Church, Lund talked with several members of the church, leading to Merrow being named as a suspect."During the meeting with church members, numerous receipts were presented to Lund for goods that were never purchased or services that were never rendered, all paid for using church funds," the statement reads. "One receipt was for a claim to a local insurance company for items that were never stolen."
Moreover, it was reported that many donations from church attendees meant for hurricane relief efforts were never used or delivered. Furthermore, many donated items such as chainsaws, generators, or heaters were reported stolen.
Pastor Arrested
Following the investigation, police issued a warrant for Merrow's arrest on November 19, 2024. Months later, he was arrested on January 5, 2025. The sheriff's office revealed that Merrow is currently on supervised probation for a different and unrelated incident. Said incident relates to "obtaining property by false pretense greater than $100,000," according to the sheriff's office statement.
Jeffrey Brian Merrow is currently being held on a $5,000 bond.
Many users were quick to express their disgust and anger over the pastor's arrest and charges. Some of them even brought up Merrow's criminal history. "That is exactly why a Pastor or his family should never touch the money. An unrelated treasurer should handle all money including donations," one user wrote.
"Surely not a pastor! Hopefully he will repent of his sins. And never lead a church again," a second user wrote. A third one said: "What is truly sad is that the lost will see and use this for a justified reason for continuing on the path they're on."
