A former Libertyville pastor who pleaded guilty Thursday to stealing about $44,000 in church funds was sentenced to 90 days of work-release in Lake County Jail.
Rev. William Moore, 53, of the 1500 block of Old Barn Circle, admitted to Circuit Judge James Booras that he used the money to gamble and was ordered to pay $25,000 to the Libertyville Evangelical Free Church’s insurance company, do 100 hours of community service and 30 months of probation.
An April 20 hearing has been scheduled to decide who will get the remaining $19,000 Moore owes, authorities said.
Moore is a gambling addict and began stealing money in November 2001 to gamble on the Internet, said Assistant State’s Atty. George Strickland.
Strickland said he talked to church members Wednesday before negotiating a plea deal for Moore.
“They showed a great deal of Christian charity toward Mr. Moore,” he said.
Church members confronted Moore last summer when they discovered that money was missing from the benevolent fund, authorities said.
