Tulsa pastor sentenced for embezzlement

TULSA, Okla. (AP) – A federal prosecutor says a Tulsa pastor has been sentenced to about three years in prison for embezzling more than $900,000 from a nonprofit organization.

U.S. Attorney Danny C. Williams says 63-year-old Willard Lenord Jones was sentenced Monday on three counts of wire fraud and one count of filing a false tax return. Jones was also ordered to pay restitution to the nonprofit group.

Williams says that Jones, former Executive Director of the Greater Cornerstone Community Development Project, pleaded guilty in October to misappropriating $933,000 from the nonprofit group between 2007 and 2013. Jones also pleaded guilty to not reporting $390,061 in income on his federal tax return for 2011.

Williams says Jones acknowledged using the money on personal expenses and luxury items, including hotels, gambling, liquor, automobiles and jewelry.