Drug Addict Pastor Nabbed
The senior minister of First Christian Church in Columbus has resigned following his arrest over the weekend on felony charges of insurance fraud and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The resignation was announced by church elders in Sunday's worship service.
Justin K. White is accused of staging a burglary at his own Skyview Estates home to enable him to file an insurance claim. Charges were filed late Friday afternoon and the Bartholomew County Courthouse issued a warrant on the spot. Police immediately went to arrest the pastor, according to the Republic.
White reported that his house was robbed on Dec. 18, 2016, while he was preaching at Sunday church. The household lost $11,000 in valuables consisting of electronics, small appliances and jewelry. But investigators found no sign of forced entry. They also learned that he claimed compensation from Cincinnati Insurance Co. of $11,460.75.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
The police nabbed one of two suspects who turned out to be a minor-aged boy who was placed under White's spiritual counseling after being arrested for marijuana possession. Soon, the minister was asking the juvenile to supply him drugs. At first, he asked for marijuana for his supposed cancer-stricken aunt, next painkillers and then heroin.
White admitted to the charges saying he was seeing a doctor who gave him painkillers for his headaches two years ago.
"I had that first pill and I wanted the whole bottle," the father of three children said, indicating he had become addicted. He was sent to a drug addiction treatment center for 32 days after overdosing on heroin in mid-2015.
Steve Wiggins, chairman of the church's elder board said White resigned as early as March 12, which they accepted the next day. He was supposed to do a tell-all to the congregation about the struggle he was going through the past two years that Sunday but was overtaken by his arrest.
