Northport Pastor Indicted For Felony Theft Of Property

NORTHPORT, AL — The pastor of a Northport church has been indicted by a Tuscaloosa County grand jury for felony theft of property.

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According to Tuscaloosa County Jail records, The Word Church Senior Pastor Scott Willmore surrendered Monday at the Tuscaloosa County Jail following the recent indictment.

Willmore is charged with a single count of first-degree theft of property. He was released from the Tuscaloosa County Jail Monday morning after his bond was set at $30,000.

The Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office confirmed that its Criminal Investigations Division began the probe a couple of months ago after being approached about financial concerns at the church involving Willmore.

A TCSO spokesperson told Patch that following a thorough investigation that involved interviews with individuals and a detailed look at church finances, the evidence was presented to a grand jury, which then handed down the subsequent indictment on the lone felony count.

Details surrounding the charge, including the amount of money allegedly involved and the specific circumstances that led to the indictment, have not been released as of the publication of this story.

An indictment is a formal accusation and does not constitute a finding of guilt. The case will proceed through the court system, where prosecutors will be required to prove the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt.

Still, the indictment comes as The Word Church has faced heightened public scrutiny in recent months following past allegations involving its now-closed daycare operation.

As Patch previously reported, the church announced the closure of its daycare after authorities launched an investigation into allegations of abuse involving a former employee.

Willmore spoke on behalf of the church during the recent controversy and was central in the leadership's decision to shut down the program.

The two incidents at this time appear to not be related.

This is a developing story. Tuscaloosa Patch will have more information as it becomes available.