A former Pastor has been arrested and held on suspicion of armed robbery.
Kevin Robert McDonald, 40, a former lead pastor of Landmark Church in Phenix City, Alabama, is reportedly being held at the Russell County Jail following his arrest on December 27, 2024.
McDonald is accused of robbing the Phenix City Girard Bank at gunpoint, according to The Christian Post.
Authorities say McDonald entered the bank armed with a handgun, demanded money, and fled with an undisclosed amount. No one was injured during the incident.
McDonald was arrested in Columbus, Georgia, and charged with first-degree robbery. He remains in custody with a $100k (£81k) bond not yet posted.
A female accomplice, identified as Lindsay Dara Jenkins, was also arrested and charged with first-degree robbery in connection with the incident. Though unlike McDonald she has been able to post bail, according to court records.
Landmark Church have been unavailable for comment though an old version of the church’s website show McDonald’s background as a pastor and church planter.
He was ordained through Nazarene Bible College, served in California, North Carolina, Kansas, and Missouri, planting over 15 churches and leading thousands to Christ. He is a father three and his wife, Jennifer is also in ministry since their conversion in 2009.
Before McDonald became a Pastor he admitted to being a drug addict. In a 2021 interview with Citizen of East Alabama, he described himself as a “broken drug addict” before turning to Christ, which changed his life and saved his marriage.
“I was so excited about what Jesus did for me that I wanted to spend the rest of my life sharing this amazing Good News,” he shared.
McDonald had credited his spiritual growth to a man who discipled him after knocking on his door with the Gospel.