Former Maryland Pastor Sentenced for $347K Church Theft, Tax Fraud

Jerome Isaac Hurley, a former pastor of Miracle Temple Church in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, was sentenced to five years of supervised probation after stealing $347,000 from his church's insurance payout following a 2020 fire and failing to report this amount on his 2021 state tax return, resulting in unpaid taxes of over $33,000. Hurley transferred the stolen funds to his personal account and used them for personal expenses. He was convicted in December 2024 of filing a false Maryland state tax return and separately pleaded guilty to theft charges in March 2025. Despite the severity of the crime, his six-month jail sentence was fully suspended in favor of probation, meaning he will not serve prison time for the tax violation. The case was prosecuted with the involvement of Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown and Anne Arundel County officials. Additionally, a Harford County pastor has been charged with stealing over $135,000 from his church for personal use, highlighting a troubling pattern of clergy theft in Maryland.