Former Sikeston pastor who lives in Cape accused of felony theft

A former Sikeston, Missouri, church pastor will appear in circuit court later this month on felony charges after being accused of stealing nearly $2,000 in property.

Terry R. Mejean, 47, of Cape Girardeau was charged in March with felony fraudulent use of a credit device and felony stealing, according to Missouri Case.net. He is scheduled to be arraigned at 9 a.m. June 23 before Circuit Division Judge David Dolan at the Scott County Courthouse in Benton, Missouri.

About 10 a.m. March 7, a deacon with Fellowship Baptist Church in Sikeston made a report of stealing and fraudulent use of a credit device, according to a probable-cause affidavit filed by Sikeston Department of Public Safety detective Ryan Dennis.

The church terminated Mejean from his duties Feb. 10, the deacon said. Mejean had been given a credit card with the deacon’s name on it. Starting Sept. 23, 2015, through January 2016, Mejean purchased items totaling $1,976.28 with the credit card provided by the deacon.

Among items purchased were a 15-inch laptop computer; a 15.6-inch laptop computer; a wireless computer mouse; a 32 GB flashdrive; 8 GB tablet; bluetooth headset; copy machine; microwave oven; Keurig coffee maker; 8-inch tablet with keyboard; bluetooth wireless stereo headset; activity tracker; computer program software; readers; desktop refurbished computer; and 17-piece pen set.

“The deacon advised the credit card was issued to Mr. Mejean to make purchases for the church, and when Mr. Mejean was terminated, none of the property (listed above) was located at the church,” Dennis wrote in the statement.

The deacon sent Mejean a certified letter asking for the property to be returned. They set up two appointments for Mejean to return the property; however, Mejean didn’t respond to any of the appointments, Dennis said.

Dennis said he made phone contact March 9 with Mejean, and Mejean said he had possession of the property and planned to return the items between 10 and 11 a.m. March 11, but he did not.

The deacon also told Dennis some of the items Mejean bought were believed to have been for Mejean’s personal photography business.

On April 13, Mejean entered a plea of not guilty before Associate Court Judge Scott T. Horman. A preliminary hearing was conducted June 1 before Horman. Mejean appeared with his attorney, and witnesses provided testimony and evidence. Horman found probable cause existed on both counts, and the matter was bound over to circuit court.