Former southern Ill. pastor sentenced for fraudulently getting COVID-19 relief money

HAMILTON COUNTY, Ill. (KFVS) - A former southern Illinois church pastor was sentenced to nearly two years in prison for fraudulently getting COVID-19 relief money in a church’s name.

According to a news release from the Department of Justice, a district judge sentenced 58-year-old Terry L. Hall, of McLeansboro, to 21 months in prison.

Hall, a former church pastor in Hamilton County, pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and three counts of making false statements.

After he’s released from prison, he’ll serve two years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $199,900 plus the accrued interest back to the Small Business Administration.

According to the indictment, Hall was the lead pastor at a McLeansboro church, and applied for economic relief on behalf of the church.

They say he received two Economic Injury Disaster Loan disbursements, contacted elected representatives and intimidated fellow church members.

Hall admitted to using the money to pay off his mortgage, build a pole barn, pay for various travel and other personal expenses like clothing, gas and food.

The church did not receive any assistance to help during the pandemic.

“The vast majority of pastors across southern Illinois answered the pandemic with selfless service,” U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft said in the news release. “Terry Hall chose a different path: he requested federal relief on behalf of his congregation, then used nearly $200,000 for purely personal expenses. Conduct that far from the calling of ministry demands accountability, and accountability arrived in the form of a 21-month federal prison sentence.”

Starting in March 2020, the Coronaviru Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act provided emergency financial assistance to those impacted by the pandemic.

Under the CARES Act and administered by the SBA, the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program provided low-interest funding to small businesses, renters and homeowners.

The FBI Springfield Field Office led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Howard prosecuted the case.