A Louisiana pastor has been found guilty of stealing more than $340,000 from two churches he led in the greater New Orleans area, with jurors convicting him on all 25 counts after a five-day federal trial.
Conviction on all counts
Dale Sanders, 56, of Kenner, was convicted in the Eastern District of Louisiana on charges of wire fraud, access device fraud, and obstruction of a federal investigation. He served simultaneously as pastor of Fifth African Baptist Church in New Orleans and Second New Guide Missionary Baptist Church in Metairie.
Federal prosecutors said Sanders began drawing from church accounts in April 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted communities across the country, and continued until April 2024.
Pattern of fraudulent withdrawals
During that period, he used church funds and a church debit card for what prosecutors described as lavish personal expenditures, covering gambling, dining, and everyday living costs. The US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana said the fraudulent withdrawals were not isolated incidents but formed a sustained pattern of personal spending tied directly to his control over church finances. All money taken had been donated by congregants who believed they were supporting their churches.
Prosecutors also said Sanders submitted a falsified record in response to a grand jury subpoena, which formed the basis of the obstruction count against him.
Social media plea for prayer
Beyond his pastoral duties, Sanders had cultivated a visible online presence, regularly streaming sermons, posting singing clips, and promoting his self-help book, "Strut your Stutter," which encouraged readers to "be peacock proud" of who they are. After his indictment in April, Sanders took to social media not to address the charges directly but to request prayer. In a video posted to his followers, he thanked supporters for their messages and said he could feel their prayers working.
He then made a specific appeal: "This is what you can do for me ... I know you're praying for me. But I need you to pray a Matthew 5:44 prayer. I need you to pray for my enemy." Sanders added: "The Bible says, 'Pray for them that despitefully use you and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my namesake.' If you pray for my enemy, God will not only bless me, but he will deal with them."
Sentencing scheduled
A federal jury, having reviewed the bank records, returned guilty verdicts on every count. Sanders now faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment on each of the 25 counts. Sentencing is scheduled for October 13.
