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(CNN) — Bruce Windsor is known as many things: church deacon, soccer coach, father of four. But facing potential financial problems, he’s now known as something else: suspected bank robber.

Police say the 43-year-old owner of a real estate company walked into the Carolina First Bank in Greenville, South Carolina, late Thursday with a mask and a handgun.

In court documents filed Friday, police said he forced two bank employees into an office at gunpoint and demanded money. Police arrived minutes later with the suspect still inside, touching off a tense 90-minute standoff before he released the hostages and surrendered.

His actions were “out of character” for a man who has never been in trouble with the law before, friends and relatives said. His tearful sister, defending him as he stood before a judge, said, “He must have just snapped under the pressure.”

In his initial appearance for a bond hearing, Windsor was in an orange jail jumpsuit, shackled and with his hands cuffed. In a quiet voice, he answered “yes, sir” as the judge explained the charges to him: two counts of kidnapping, one count of robbery and two counts of pointing firearms at a person, charges that could carry more than 30 years in prison if convicted.

A police detective told the judge Windsor said he had been experiencing financial problems. But police spokesman Cpl. Jason Rampey told CNN they could not yet say for certain whether money problems were the motive for the alleged robbery.

His attorney said in court Windsor had been married for 16 years and was the father of four children. Reports say the oldest is 11. Attorney Sidney Mitchell told the judge he was “a model citizen up until yesterday,’ and we’ve obviously got a lot of talking to do with him,” Rampey said.

The judge allowed his family to stand with him during the court appearance. His sister clutched his arm, crying through most of the brief hearing. His wife stood behind him, appearing to rub his back. His pastor at Brushy Creek Baptist Church, where Windsor is a deacon, stood at his side.

His sister told the judge Windsor coaches one of his children’s soccer teams and picks them up every day from school.

“He would never, ever hurt his family,” she said in a halting voice.

Sobbing, she said, “I can’t imagine the desperation that must have caused this.” The incident, she said, “doesn’t even register.” Windsor then spoke up, saying, “I’ve never stolen anything in my life.”

But the judge reminded the court “this is a very serious incident,” setting the bail at just over $1.5 million.

On Thursday, SWAT officers surrounded the Carolina First bank as the suspect allegedly made the hostages move with him at gunpoint inside until he surrendered.

Bank owner Art Seaver, who nervously watched the standoff unfold at the scene, met with his employees before they reopened Friday morning for a “time of reflection and a time of healing.”

Asked if everything was back to normal, he told CNN affiliate WSPA, “No. What is normal?”

Two different images of Windsor unfolded the day after the incident. The man his pastor called “one of the best fathers I know, anywhere” and the man court documents said “forced the victims to move with him at gunpoint during the attempted robbery. The victims were held by the accuser against their will for over an hour.”

Rampey said Greenville’s crisis negotiating team just happened to be training on Thursday for hostage scenario when the call came in for the real thing. As SWAT officers took up positions outside, negotiators talked to the suspect, who then allowed the hostages to go.

SWAT officers said in court documents they “challenged the subject at gunpoint” before he lay down on the ground and surrendered. No shots were fired and no one was injured.

CITED FROM:

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/02/27/sc.bank.robbery.suspect/

February 27, 2009, (LifeSiteNews.com) - Yet another of the Miami Archdiocese’s parishes is flaunting its disregard for orthodox Christian moral teaching by hosting a concert this evening by the Miami Gay Men’s Chorus.

The concert (titled Serenade), the Chorus’s debut performance of 2009, is being held at Saint Patrick Catholic Church in Miami Beach on Friday, February 27. LifeSiteNews contacted both the parish and the Archdiocese of Miami’s Communications Office; no official comment was forthcoming as of press time.

This is not the first time an institution under the auspices of the Archdiocese has given a platform to the Miami Gay Men’s Chorus. In May of 2008, Holy Cross Hospital (in Fort Lauderdale) co-sponsored a senior-citizens talent show with the Chorus.

Catholic teaching clearly distinguishes homosexuality from the so-called “gay lifestyle”. The former is considered a psychological disorder, the latter promotes freely chosen sexual behavior that is considered seriously sinful by the Church. The Miami Archdiocese is said to be no stranger to scandal and wide-spread theological dissent. Two of the Archdiocese’s parishes, Saint Anthony and Saint Maurice, are listed as “Gay-Friendly” in a directory published by the Conference of Catholic Lesbians (CCL).

LifeSiteNews has previously reported on theological dissent sponsored by the Archdiocese’s two universities. Just this past Monday, February 24, Saint Thomas University’s School of Theology Ministry featured a guest-lecture by “ecospiritualist” Sr. Miriam Therese MacGillis, a Dominican nun who promotes goddess-worship. In 2007, LifeSiteNews reported Barry University’s granting a theology award to another notorious goddess-worshipping feminist Dominican nun, Sr. Elizabeth Johnson. Both universities are also categorized as “Gay-Friendly” by the CCL.

CITED FROM:

http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/feb/09022715.html

WACO - A Waco woman was arrested for allegedly stealing over 150-thousand dollars from a local church. The three-page arrest affidavit outlines how police say 37-year old Patricia Poehls stole from St. Jerome’s Catholic Church on Chapel Road in Waco, which was her employer at the time.

According to police it was first discovered Poehls had a draft set up to bill the church at Time Warner. The priest was not aware of the account and was to be the signer of all checks.

His signature was on the checks but it was a computer generated signature. A finance committee then began looking at the church’s financial records. Poehls continued working at the church during the initial investigation.

It was also found Poehls had set up a Saint Jerome’s Junior High youth group account at a local  bank but the affidavit states the priest was again unaware of the account. The church also did not have access to it.

Poehls was then brought in by Waco Police and gave a statement. She said she assumed the position of church business manager in May 2006. She also said she found an electronic signature of the priest’s on the computer and began using it to write out checks she thought would benefit the church.

It was found $48,166.10 was put on a Sam’s Club Discover Card. Another $81,953.62 in questionable checks were cashed and $24,209.27 in checks were also made out to Walmart and Sam’s. The total was $154,328.99.

Saint Jerome’s Catholic Church referred News Channel 25 to their attorney Friday but News Channel 25 did not receive a call back from him regarding this case.

CITED FROM:

http://www.kxxv.com/Global/story.asp?S=9920781

A domestic assault charge was filed Thursday against a Rutherford County pastor accused of assaulting his wife, according to reports filed at the sheriff’s office.

Detective Jim Tramel charged Josh Strickland with domestic assault of his wife, Pamela, Feb. 20 at their County Park Lane home.

Strickland is pastor of Creekmont General Baptist Church.

Deputy Brad Lynn reported Tuesday he met with Pamela Strickland at a business on state Route 96 West (Franklin Highway) who complained her husband assaulted her following an argument about a job offer he received.

“Mrs. Strickland did not want to go and leave her family because she was afraid of her husband,” Lynn reported, explaining, “Mrs. Strickland stated if her family was close they would protect her from her husband.”

When she later asked him a question about taxes, she told deputies her husband ripped the paper in her hand and called her a name. She told him he needed to go.

“Mrs. Strickland stated he then threw her on the bed where he assaulted her,” Lynn reported.

She suffered a black eye and bruises on her breast, left elbow, right hip and arms, the deputy reported.

“Mrs. Strickland stated when she tried to leave, he would hit her and throw her back on the bed,” Lynn reported.

When she and their children got into the vehicle to leave, her husband got into the back seat and asked where she was going. She replied she was going to the police department. She drove outside Murfreesboro Police Department where her husband cried and apologized so she didn’t do anything.

She reported the alleged assault four days later.

Strickland listed the Tennessee National Guard as his employer when he was charged and booked into Rutherford County Adult Detention Center. His hearing is pending in General Sessions Court.

CITED FROM:

http://www.murfreesboropost.com/news.php?viewStory=15619