Indianapolis pastor to plead guilty to welfare fraud

[Ian David]

By Jon Murray
[email protected]
1:41 PM July 12, 2007

An Indianapolis pastor has signed a plea agreement to end charges that he received food stamps and Social Security disability benefits that he did not qualify for.

The Rev. Rochell Johnson, 51, will plead guilty to welfare fraud, a Class C felony, for failing to report his income as pastor of Greater Faith Missionary Baptist Church to the Social Security Administration while he received disability benefits. He made about $15,000 a year, and he would have qualified for reduced benefits had he reported that income.

Johnson will avoid jail time. The agreement with Marion County prosecutors allows a maximum four-year sentence -- all suspended -- and probation, plus nearly $180,000 in restitution that will be garnished from future Social Security checks. He is scheduled to enter a formal guilty plea and be sentenced Aug. 24 in Marion Superior Court.

In the deal, prosecutors agreed not to prosecute the food stamp case against Johnson or his wife, Denise.

They were among 11 church members, friends and relatives who were charged in May 2006 in a scheme involving more than $62,000. Prosecutors say former employees of the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration provided them with Electronic Benefit Transfer cards, which are used like debit cards to buy food.

More:
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070712/LOCAL/70712038