Embattled pastor accused of check fraud

A deputy was dispatched to Kurt’s Carpet Warehouse after the store owner learned that a check used to pay for carpet had been returned for insufficient funds.

According to the store owner, a man entered his business and purchased 2,400 square feet of carpeting. The man, later identified as Quincy Arnold, said he represented New Life Ministries. Arnold was arrested last year on charges related to a 2005 fire which gutted the New Life Deliverance Church in Barrow County.
Arnold reportedly paid a deposit of $1,200 in cash with the agreement that the balance would be paid in full upon installation.

After the carpet was installed, Arnold delivered a check for the balance drawn on a Wachovia Bank account. The check was returned for insufficient funds.

The deputy spoke with Arnold and advised him that if the balance was not paid immediately, a bad check warrant would be taken by the store owner.

Other recent incidents investigated by Barrow County Sheriff’s deputies include:

• complaint on Midland Court. A woman said her stepdaughter called her even though she has been asked not to contact her.

• suspicious incident on Moonlite Trace. A woman became alarmed after a neighbor informed her that two men wearing suits and badges had been to her home looking for her. The woman said she had never been in trouble and did not understand why men with badges would have been at her house. The neighbor later clarified that the badges were company identification badges, not law enforcement badges.

• burglary on Rockwell Church Road. Copper pipes and duct work were stolen out of a vacant rental property.

• theft by taking at Haymon Morris Middle School. A deputy was dispatched to the middle school after money was discovered to be missing from the front office.

• interference with custody on Phillipsburg Drive. A man asked for help in getting a child custody order enforced. The man is supposed to have custody of his son for the summer, but the child’s mother is resisting.

• entering auto on Langdon Park Court. A purse was stolen out of an unlocked vehicle. A neighbor later found the purse nearby. The only item missing from the purse was $15 in cash.

• missing person on Worth Court. A woman and her children were reported missing but were located later that day in good health.

• motorist assist on Atlanta Highway. A woman’s car stopped working as she was on her way home from work. A deputy stayed with her until her brother-in-law arrived to take her home.

• burglary on Carl Bethlehem Road. A wooden wash stand and several dishes were reported stolen.

• criminal trespass on Warren Way. A man’s yard was damaged when someone drove through it.

• neighborhood complaint on Simeon Road. A man said speeding vehicles continued to be a problem in his neighborhood despite numerous complaints to the Sheriff’s Office. The man said he had not seen a deputy in his neighborhood for three weeks and felt that his complaint was not being taken seriously.

• property damage on Justin Drive. A Toyota Tacoma was damaged when someone caused a scratch along the length of the vehicle.

For more crime news, see the June 16 edition of the Barrow Journal or click here to sign up for a free trial of our new e-edition. Offer ends July 13.