Huntsville, AL – A former Huntsville pastor who diverted more than $400,000 in church funds to buy luxury vehicles, designer goods and jewelry was sentenced to five years in federal prison, closing a case that detailed years of unauthorized spending and false tax filings.
Adrian Derrell Davis, 42, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Liles C. Burke to 60 months in prison after pleading guilty in October to wire fraud and filing a false tax return. Federal prosecutors said Davis embezzled approximately $434,339 from All Nations Worship Assembly, where he served as pastor.
According to court records, Davis used his position at the church from 2018 through 2020 to access and spend church funds for personal purchases without authorization or approval.
Luxury cars, jewelry and designer goods detailed in court
Prosecutors outlined a series of transactions that included the purchase of a 2018 Audi A7 for $30,920 and a 2016 GMC Yukon for $45,982 using church funds. Davis also made 41 payments totaling $117,000 to pay down his personal American Express balance.
Records show that purchases charged to that account included $4,970.15 at Louis Vuitton and $5,300 at Flight Club, a New York shoe retailer. In 2020, Davis used church funds to pay $18,530 on a credit card used to buy jewelry and made additional payments exceeding $151,000 to his American Express account.
Among the luxury purchases cited in the case were $29,900 at Hublot, $28,000 at Peter Marco and $6,022.50 at Louis Vuitton. None of the expenditures were authorized by the church, according to court documents.
- Former pastor sentenced to 60 months in federal prison
- More than $434,000 embezzled from Huntsville church
- Over $114,000 in tax loss to IRS from unreported income
Davis also failed to report the embezzled funds on his individual tax returns for 2018, 2019 and 2020, resulting in a tax loss of $114,859 to the IRS. Prosecutors said he did not provide his tax preparer with records reflecting the more than $400,000 in church funds he had received and spent, instead indicating that additional income came from speaking engagements.
Federal agencies outline breach of trust
U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona said Davis abused his position of trust for personal gain. Officials with IRS Criminal Investigation stated that the case involved both theft from parishioners and the filing of false tax returns to conceal the conduct.
The investigation was conducted by IRS Criminal Investigation and the United States Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney prosecuted the case in federal court.
Davis’ conviction on false tax return charges stemmed from the unreported income tied to the embezzlement of church funds over the three-year period.
