HOUSTON— A pastor who applied for hurricane relief money by submitting false claims is now facing more than 30 years in prison for fraud in connection with a major disaster, officials said.
Jesse Dunn, 56, of Houston, was named in an eight-count indictment alleging a fraud scheme in connection with a major disaster, authorities said.
The indictment was returned Wednesday. Dunn surrendered to federal authorities Thursday morning.
The eight-count indictment alleges one count of participating in a fraud scheme in connection with a major disaster, one count of making a false statement and six counts of false representations in connection with a major disaster.
According to the indictment, these are the allegations:
- Dunn was the president of Aldine Community Care Center Inc. a registered Texas non-profit corporation created on April 29, 2004.
- He also served as the president or director of several other Texas non-profit corporations, such as Paraclete Church Ministries Inc.
- Dunn falsified numerous documents to the Small Business Administration or SBA in order to receive disaster relief funds on behalf of Aldine Community Care from approximately September 2008 to December 2010.
- Hurricane Ike made landfall on the Texas Gulf Coast on Sept. 13, 2008, at which time former President George W. Bush declared the counties in and around Houston a major disaster area.
- Shortly thereafter, Dunn allegedly applied for a loan on two of his properties for disaster relief funds.
- Dunn submitted false invoices to the SBA which resulted in the disbursement of $1,300,800 that was to be used for the repair or replacement of real estate, inventory, supplies, machinery and equipment damaged during the declared disaster.
- However, Dunn allegedly used a significant portion of the proceeds for his own personal use.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.