Federal judge orders three-year sentence for Atlanta minister

<p>An Atlanta minister, convicted of misuse of a Social Security number to obtain loans, has been sentenced to three years in federal prison.</p><p>U.S. District Judge Henry T. Wingate on Friday sentenced the Rev. Louis R. Jones, 31, pastor of West Hunter Street Baptist Church in Atlanta.</p><p>Wingate said Jones had lied to his congregation about his criminal past and academic titles.</p><p>A native of Belzoni, Jones is pastor of the same church where the late civil rights leader Ralph David Abernathy was pastor.</p><p>Jones pleaded guilty earlier to using a false Social Security number on two loan applications at Jackson banks to get $51,884 in 2001. Besides the prison sentence, Wingate ordered Jones to repay the money.</p><p>At a hearing last month, Wingate said Jones claimed to have a bachelor's degree and implied he had a doctorate because he used "Dr." before his name. Wingate said he also determined Jones' congregation was unaware of a prior felony conviction and five misdemeanor convictions. The 1993 felony charge was for armed robbery, but it was reduced to aggravated assault.</p><p>On Friday, Wingate said transcripts showed failing grades, incomplete courses and grades from a non-accredited institution.</p><p>"He could not possibly have enough hours for a legitimate Ph.D. He took a number of correspondence courses to get hours and put a 'Dr.' in front of his name, but it's not an academic 'Dr.'" Wingate said. "He's not entitled to call himself a doctor."</p><p>Through his attorney, Jones admitted falsifying college credits earned at Mississippi Valley State University when he enrolled at a Bible college.</p><p>"You got those people at the church all excited over you, and you don't deserve it. You just don't deserve it," Wingate said. "You wanted probation. You wanted me to send you back to your congregation without them knowing anything about you."</p><p>Under federal sentencing guidelines, Jones' punishment would range from 11 months to 16 months, but Wingate had discretion to modify the term. The maximum penalty was 30 years and a $1 million fine.</p><p>___</p><p>HASH(0x2866754)</p>

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