WARRENTON, Ga. - A federal grand jury in Baltimore, Md., recently returned a multi-count indictment against the newly-named pastor of First Baptist Church of Warrenton, Dr. Otis Ray Hope.
The four-count indictments were returned against Dr. Hope on Aug. 14, according to records obtained online from the United States District Court of Maryland. Specifically, Dr. Hope is charged with three counts of income tax evasion and one count of subscribing to a false document.
Charges alleging income tax evasion involve the years of 2001, 2002 and 2003. During a portion of that time, Dr. Hope served as senior pastor of Montrose Baptist Church in Rockville, Md., - a church with a membership of 2,000. He served as pastor there for nearly seven years. While at Montrose Baptist Church, Dr. Hope also reached hundreds of more people through his television and radio ministry.
Federal prosecutors contend that Dr. Hope, who lives in a home overlooking a golf course in Columbia County, owes approximately $300,000 in back taxes. Court documents contain specific amounts of which federal prosecutors allege that Dr. Hope incorrectly reported income on joint income tax returns filed with the Internal Revenue Service.
Confronting the charges
Dr. Hope, who has served as pastor of the First Baptist Church of Warrenton for the past six months, denied the allegations by the government during an interview at his church office with The McDuffie Mirror last Thursday. The interview came the day after he informed his new congregation of the indictments.
The pastor explained that after learning that he had been indicted, he met with all 12 members of the church deacon board.
Vernon Burkey, who lives in Thomson and serves as chairman of the deacon board, said the church's active deacons support their pastor.
"We voted that we would stand behind him," Mr. Burkey said.
Dr. Hope said he learned through a telephone conversation with his son, who lives in Maryland, several weeks ago that he'd been indicted. Dr. Hope said he traveled to Baltimore and addressed the issue with court officials before ever being served with official court papers.
"I wanted to confront this right away," Dr. Hope said.
He since has been arraigned on the charges and has had to surrender his passport as a condition of his release from custody while awaiting a trial date in federal court. He said he anticipates hearing nothing more about the case before sometime next year.
Dr. Hope said he ended up in the Augusta area because he wanted to live near his grandchildren. After finding out that the Warrenton church needed an interim pastor, he applied for the position and was hired. He later was hired to serve as the church's new pastor.
"This is my problem and has nothing to do with First Baptist Church of Warrenton, Ga." Dr. Hope said, noting he feels that he's done nothing wrong.
Centering on Shiloh
Dr. Hope said he believes the government's case centers around a non-profit group he formed in Maryland in 2001. Shiloh Ministries of Hagerstown, Inc., operates a Christian retreat in an old Family Y building in Hagerstown. The group purchased the building in 2002.
"This is all about a legitimate 501c3," Dr. Hope said. Such status is provided to certain establishments by the government, provided they meet certain criteria for tax-exempt status.
In count four of the indictment filed against Dr. Hope, he reportedly subscribed to a false document on or about Aug. 27, 2002, in Maryland "to obtain an exemption from federal income tax" for Shiloh Ministries of Hagerstown, Inc., operating as Shiloh Conference and Retreat Center, court records show.
Federal prosecutors say that it was claimed in Form 1023 that recipients did not have to pay for benefits, services and products provided to them by the company and that their financial support was derived from donations, offerings and tithes. The company also claimed that they offered worship services.
In a court document, related to count four of the indictment, the government contends that the company charged recipients for the benefits, services and products provided. The government also contends that the company's financial support was actually derived from rental fees and other charges and that worship services were never conducted there.
Count one of the indictment accuses Dr. Hope of filing a false and fraudulent joint individual income tax return, on behalf of himself and his spouse, stating that for the calendar year 2001, they made a little more than $68,600. Federal prosecutors contend the couple earned more than $473,000 that year, court records show.
Count two of the indictment contends that the pastor and his wife reported earnings in 2002 of slightly more than $46,000. The government disputes such a figure, however, saying the couple's joint taxable income for that year was actually $444,037. In count three of the indictment, the couple claimed they made slightly more than $41,000, whereas the government contends the figure was much higher.
