Federal investigators and local law enforcement recently raided the home of Wilson County pastor Greg Locke, who addressed the raid in a July 12 church service.
Locke said the raid was part of a nearly two-year-long investigation into accusations of financial mismanagement in his leadership at Global Vision Bible Church.
The Wilson County Sheriff’s Office confirmed in a statement that deputies helped secure the perimeter for the search at Locke’s home and another location. The Internal Revenue Service was involved in the search, Wilson County Sheriff Robert Bryan said.
Locke tearfullly described how more than 50 agents barged into his home a few weeks ago at 6 a.m. on a Sunday and took his devices and bank statements. He said the event was particularly hard in the aftermath of his son’s death.
The pastor’s son Evan Locke, 20, died from an overdose when he couldn’t be revived after his heart stopped on May 8, according to a social media post by Greg Locke.
“Because of constant, for lack of better terms, whistleblowers, and people calling hotlines and making unwarranted statements and accusations online, we encountered one of the most uncomfortable moments in our life three weeks in,” Locke said at a July 12 service, referring to a six-week sabbatical he and his family took to grieve Evan Locke. “We were only able to mourn three of the past six because the last three have been difficult.”
Locke declined to further comment on the raid in response to a request for comment.
Global Vision Church, located at 1010 Maddox Simpson Parkway in Lebanon, and Locke have large digital and social media followings from outside the area. Greg Locke has 2.2 million Facebook followers. Sermons regularly draw 10,000-plus to 100,000 views and many events spike well beyond that.
Locke has gained national attention for social media posts with outspoken right-wing political positions and a mass-deliverance ministry that includes casting out evil spirits and events such as inviting people to burn items the church relates to the occult.
In his July 12 remarks, Locke referenced a book that former Global Vision Bible Church pastors published that accuses Locke of mismanaging church finances. According to The Roys Report — the first to report on Locke’s comments about the raid — the title of that book is “Pulpit of Leaves: Deception in Plain Sight,” which was authored by Justin and Kasey Greenwell.
The church itself was not part of the search warrant that was executed, Wilson County Sheriff Robert Bryan said when reached by phone.
Efforts to reach the IRS were not immediately successful. United States Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Tennessee Public Affairs Officer Steve J. Stanley did not comment.
“We were shocked, terrified in the moment,” Locke said about the raid. He said agents used a battering ram to break down his front door and aggressively handled him and his family.
“They pulled me aside and said, ‘We’re here because of an overabundance in the last couple of years of allegations online that you have misappropriated church funds.’ I was so shocked in the moment and said, ‘A phone call wouldn’t have sufficed?’” Locke said in his July 12 remarks.
Locke said according to the investigators and his lawyers, the search warrants were for his house and his company, Locke Media. The investigators did not have a search warrant for the church, but Locke said he’s received a subpoena for the church building.
“They were told our home was filled with all the things that were stolen,” Locke said.
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect