Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Porter ordered to pay for her sins

Sandra Porter, 49, of Prescott, entered a plea of guilty to charges of theft of property involving taking more than $200,000 from First Baptist Church.

The guilty plea was made Monday, Sept. 9, in Nevada County Circuit Court.

Her sentence is literally to pay for her sins. She is required to pay back $210,000 to the church or spend 20 years in prison.

According to court records, Scott Clark, a criminal investigator with the Arkansas State Police, was called in to look into a theft of property from First Baptist Church in Sept. 2001.

The allegations involved the spending of several thousand dollars by Porter, who was the church secretary at the time.

The theft was discovered by Bank of Prescott employees, who notified the church, which called the police. Local accountant Carl Dalrymple's services were contracted to do an accounting of church records.

The records, though, only went back to July 1996, running through Sept. 2001, at the time. The findings showed Porter had been paid more than $190,000 over and above what she was to receive as church secretary.

Porter later admitted taking the money.

When her day in court arrived, she pled guilty to the charge.

The court ordered her to pay First Baptist $500 a month by the 10th day of each month. The payment must be made either in cash or with a money order until the full amount of $210,000 has been repaid.

However, as Porter was required to pay $30,000 when she entered the guilty plea, the total she now owes is $180,000.

She was also required to convey the title of her home and land to the church in a warranty deed, and must take out a life insurance policy in the amount of $100,000, naming the church as beneficiary.

Porter must also show the church the premiums are being paid each month as well.

The court also ordered her to pay court costs, attorney fees and accountant fees.

Her husband, Mark, was ordered by the court to apply for a hardship early withdrawal of his 401(k) policy from Firestone, pay the penalties and taxes, then give the remaining money to the church toward the amount owed.

He must also name the church as beneficiary to half the amount of a life insurance policy he has through Firestone.

In the event the court orders aren't carried out in full, she will be remanded into custody and have to serve the prison sentence, which has been suspended at this time.