Owensboro minister charged with theft of thousands of dollars from church

James Mayse, Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky.
·1 min read
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Mar. 24—An Owensboro minister was charged with felony theft Wednesday in connection with thousands of dollars missing from his church.

Kenneth A. Shaver, 62, of Utica, was arrested by Kentucky State Police investigators Wednesday afternoon at Greater Vision Baptist Church on Sutherland Road. Shaver is pastor of the church.

Shaver was charged with theft by unlawful taking over $10,000 but under $1 million, which is a class C felony. The charge is punishable upon conviction by between five and 10 years in prison.

Trooper Corey King, public affairs officer for KSP's Henderson post, said an investigation was launched after Greater Vision officials noticed discrepancies in the church's books going back to 2019.

Shaver has been pastor at the church since 2019.

King said the church had its accounts independently audited, which found accounts were missing a large amount of money.

"They know several hundred thousand of dollars are missing," King said Thursday.

KSP reports say a detective interviewed Shaver at the church Wednesday and then placed him under arrest.

The arrest citation says the money was taken from the church's operating funds and says Shaver allegedly made purchases with the funds which were not approved by church officials.

Shaver has been a minister since 2001, with most of that time spent at a church in Hopkinsville.

Shaver was being held Thursday in the Daviess County Detention Center on a $25,000 full-cash bond. Shaver is scheduled to make his first appearance on the charges Friday in Daviess District Court.