More charges against Smith County pastor

TYLER – A Smith County pastor who was indicted for alleged theft against an elderly couple in 2021 is now facing additional charges. According to our news partner KETK, Jerome Milton was indicted June 16 for two charges: money laundering and property theft greater than or equal to $30,000 or less than $150,000. The indictment said Milton acquired, concealed, and transferred money from “theft, misapplication of fiduciary property, credit card abuse and forgery” and moved the money between bank accounts from Feb. 2, 2017 to Oct. 14, 2021. He also allegedly stole property from the nonprofit East Texas Communities Foundation and Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church between Feb. 2, 2017 and Jan. 5, 2018, said the indictment.

Milton was a pastor at Pleasant Hill and at Open Door Bible Church in Tyler. Milton used the elderly couple’s money, pension plan checks, and economic impact payments to make his car payment and purchase hotel rooms in Brownwood, according to an affidavit. Milton will get his day in court August 15, when he is scheduled to appear for trial.