Roseville Man Sentenced for Theft from Vulnerable Parishioner

The Rev. Gregory Maurice Oats, 32, of Roseville, was sentenced Friday to 180 days in the Hennepin County workhouse and 10 years probation for stealing about $25,000 from an elderly parishioner, the Hennepin County Attorney's Office said.

Oats, a pastor at the Word of Faith Ministries in Minneapolis, eventually obtained power of attorney over the parishioner who was suffering from Parkinson’s disease and diabetes, the County Attorney's Office said.

Oats previously pleaded guilty in Hennepin County District Court to the charge of financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult, the Pioneer Press reported, adding "The victim was a congregant at Oats' Word of Faith Ministries, at 639 Jackson St. in St. Paul, and Oats became his care agent and held his power of attorney."

Two children of the victim, who has since died, read victim impact statements before Oats' sentencing, the Attorney's Office said.