A 25-year-old man accused of robbing convicted New York pastor Lamor Whitehead at gunpoint was on Monday sentenced to 7 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to the crime, the New York Post reported.
As previously reported by Face2Face Africa, Whitehead, who is known as the “Bling Bishop”, was delivering a sermon on July 24, 2022, when a group of armed men stormed his church and robbed him and his wife of their jewelry.
The service at the Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries was being live-streamed when the robbery happened. Authorities in the wake of the incident said the jewelry Say-Quan Pollack and his accomplices stole from the bishop and his wife was worth $400,000. Pollack was ultimately convicted on Monday after he admitted to the crime.
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“Pollack has been held accountable for committing a bold robbery in a house of worship with a gun, terrorizing the men, women, and children participating in the religious service that Sunday morning,” US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Breon Peace said in a statement.
“Today’s sentence shows that such despicable and dangerous conduct will be punished with significant time in prison. For those victims who were traumatized by this violent crime carried out in a setting where they had gone to pray and worship, it is my hope that they find some closure in the prosecution of the defendants.”
Pollack’s conviction also comes after Whitehead was similarly handed a nine-year prison sentence in June for defrauding one of his church members. Whitehead, who is known for his ostentatious lifestyle, was convicted after he was found guilty of crimes including fraud and extortion.
The convicted pastor is said to have defrauded the elderly church member to the tune of $90,000. He subsequently used those funds to purchase luxury goods, the New York Post reported.
Gary Villanueva, who is Pollack’s lawyer, tried to have the court hand the 25-year-old a lighter sentence because of Whitehead’s conviction. But Judge William Kuntz ultimately granted the prosecutors’ request for a seven-year prison sentence.
Pollack was additionally ordered to pay $402,639 in restitution to the victims, authorities said in the statement. “Today’s sentencing holds Mr. Pollack accountable for his shameless acts and serves as a stark reminder to others who might think of committing similarly egregious crimes,” NYPD Commissioner Edward A. Caban said.
“With justice served, the NYPD and our partners at the ATF and the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York will continue doing everything possible to keep the public safe and ensure that there are always consequences for nefarious behavior.”
