The former executive director of Inter-Faith Ministries in Wichita has been sentenced to probation for taking money from his church.
66-year-old Garland Egerton of Wichita pleaded guilty in February to one count of theft. A judge sentenced him Tuesday to 60 months of probation with an underlying sentence of 32 months in prison. Egerton was also ordered to pay $129,556 in restitution.
The judge cited Egerton’s lack of criminal history and a request from the church as factors in the decision for probation. Egerton was ordered to have no contact with the Unity of Wichita Church and he must also attend a theft offender class.
The Unity of Wichita Church conducted an audit last year and discovered that $120,000 was missing, and the theft occurred from 2013 to 2018. Egerton was the bookkeeper of the church at the time. He left Inter-Faith Ministries last April.