Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, November 9, 1994 TAG: 9411090083
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SARAH HUNTLEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
So when Central Fidelity National Bank contacted Pastor Billy Leonard in May to tell him the church had accrued service charges for bounced checks and had a balance of $302, he was puzzled. After phoning the organizers of the missionary projects and learning that some hadn't received donations since January 1992, he was disturbed.
Leonard confronted the church's treasurer, Wayne William Foster, who admitted he had pocketed more than $38,000 of the congregation's money to pay off personal debts.
"It was unreal," said Betty Leonard, the pastor's wife. "We totally trusted him."
Foster, 43, who was arrested June 30, pleaded guilty in Bedford Circuit Court on Tuesday to embezzling the funds. He has not been sentenced.
His attorney, Andrew Davis, told the judge Tuesday his client had been experiencing tremendous financial difficulties and was having trouble keeping his business afloat.
Before Foster's actions were detected, he had begun depositing small amounts of money back into the church's account, Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Joseph Kuster said. Since then, full restitution has been made.
Standing before the judge Tuesday, Foster spoke clearly and loudly when he entered his guilty plea. It wasn't his first confession. After being confronted by the pastor, Foster stood before the Mountain View Baptist congregation and apologized to the members.
"As far as the church family was concerned, we had forgiven him," Betty Leonard said, but she added that Foster still has to make his way through the courts.
"I'm sorry," she said, "but he has to face the consequences. He broke the law."
Staff writer Richard Foster contributed to this report.
by CNB