Bennett Impostors Arrested

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God told him to go to Willmar, he says, but cops say 'pastor' stole identity

Robert Franklin, Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN) April 18, 2004

Hired through the Internet, the new minister offered up splendid credentials: writer, seminary speaker, musician, Web page creator, 18-year pastor at a church in Branson, Mo., former senior pastor in Irving, Texas, and great references.

But within weeks after he started preaching at Rejoice Ministries in Willmar, Minn., he was fired, and he and his wife were jailed on charges of identity theft, aggravated forgery and theft by swindle.

The résumé, the references, even the certificate of ordination were fake, police say. The man has been in prison at least three times, is wanted in Oregon and has 15 aliases.

He has adopted the names of a dead Episcopal minister and a living former major-league pitcher, in whose name he allegedly ran up $90,000 in bills for heart surgery.

The case is so complicated, said Willmar Police Capt. Dave Wyffels, that "I don't even know if we really know who we've got."

His wife, described as a pastor, evangelist and part of the joint ministry team, has eight or nine aliases.

She divorced the man's cellmate to marry him, according to a criminal complaint, and believed they were married for about 12 years "but was uncertain because of his various name changes."

The two were arrested last month under the names of Dennis Jay Bennett, 64, and Rita Marie Bennett, 56.

But he may really be Jerry Dennis Andrews, son of a Seattle pastor.

"You're supposed to believe a pastor," said Gaylen Thompson, a board member of the 20-member storefront church in Kandiyohi County's biggest city. "You want to believe him. You want to give him the benefit of the doubt."

Or, as Wyffels put it, usually "when a minister says something, you take it at face value."
UNRAVELING A STORY
Thompson said he contacted authorities after the pastor seemed bent on gaining control of church finances and members' estates and businesses, and parishioners began questioning his identity.

In Klamath Falls, Ore., former major-league pitcher Dennis John Bennett said after his wallet was stolen in the mid-1990s from a bar he owned, he became a victim of identity theft. He couldn't get credit and couldn't refinance his house because he wouldn't pay the other man's bills for surgery.

"I had to prove that I'd never been in Oklahoma for heart surgery," said Dennis John Bennett, who played for the Philadelphia Phillies, the Boston Red Sox, the New York Mets and the California Angels in the 1960s. "It cost me five years of misery."

The former Willmar pastor, who does have a chest incision, wouldn't answer questions in court about his name without a lawyer, Wyffels said. He and his wife were held last week in the county jail in lieu of bail set at $125,000 and $75,000, respectively. Neither the couple nor their lawyers could be reached for comment.

The case is outlined by criminal complaints, and in interviews with Wyffels, Thompson and Willmar police detective Matt Akerson, the lead investigator:

The couple arrived in February after e-mail exchanges that included references from Calvary Lutheran Church in Branson, OK Federated Church in Leonard, Okla., and the archbishop of London. The Willmar church rented a house for the couple in nearby Spicer and eventually paid them $8,000.

"Pastor Bennett" also claimed to have been a professional rodeo cowboy and a martial artist and, Thompson said, told stories about playing pro baseball. He created a Web site for the church and offered to perform weddings, although he apparently didn't do any in Minnesota.

But he was reluctant to give a Social Security number, and his sermons seemed lacking to parishioners. He wasn't a good preacher, Thompson said, but he had great material -- cribbed from a book by another Dennis Bennett, an Episcopal minister involved in the charismatic renewal movement in Washington state.

That Bennett died in 1991.

Church members discovered that the Episcopal minister's widow, author and teacher Rita Bennett, posted a warning on her Web site that someone was using her husband's identity.
FAILED GETAWAY
In his investigation, Akerson discovered that there was no Calvary Church in Branson, no OK Federated Church and no Calvary Grace Church of Faith in St. Louis, the one listed on the pastor's ordination certificate. He found that in 1969-71 "Pastor Bennett" had served time in federal prisons, including the one in Sandstone, Minn., on motor vehicle and fugitive charges and later in Washington state prison for a vehicle charge, theft and assault with a deadly weapon.

The Seattle Times reported in 1984 that a Dennis Jay Bennett had claimed to be an official of the nonexistent American Episcopal Church International, as well as a former Navy officer and Vietnam veteran.

In fact, he'd been court-martialed twice in the Marines, the newspaper said.

Willmar officers said they arrested "Pastor Bennett" and his wife as they were about to move out of town after emptying their bank account. Officers searched their home in Spicer and found numerous birth certificates, Social Security cards, credit cards and checkbooks under various names, along with official seals, notary stamps and certified copy stamps.

They said the FBI and Social Security Administration have joined the case. "We've never had anything this widespread across this many states," Akerson said.

Thompson said the Rev. Charis Plumley, 74, who had wanted to retire, has resumed the position of pastor of the church, an offshoot of an Assemblies of God congregation.

Before "Pastor Bennett" was hired, officers said, some church members had tried to check the pastor's references by e-mail but he intercepted them.

Thompson said he asked why a person with the pastor's list of qualifications would want to move to Willmar to serve a congregation of only about 20 members.

The reply: "This is what God has told me to do."

Akerson added that the pastor referred to the story of "doubting Thomas," and asked, "If the Lord wants me to be your pastor, who are you to intervene?"

Robert Franklin is at rfranklin@startribune.com.


HOME WebsiteTips What's New Free Newsletter Feature Article Previous Articles Contact & Links ABOUT US Dennis Bennett Bio Rita Bennett Bio Press Articles Photo Album BOOKS & OTHER GIFTS Emotionally Free To Heaven & Back Inner Wholeness Bookstore Order Form COURSES Inner Healing Evaluation Emotionally Free Inner Wholeness Teachers & Schedules Be A Teacher TOUR HEAVEN! e-Mail Here
	God told him to go to Willmar, he says, but cops say 'pastor' stole identity Robert Franklin, Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN) April 18, 2004
	Hired through the Internet, the new minister offered up splendid credentials: writer, seminary speaker, musician, Web page creator, 18-year pastor at a church in Branson, Mo., former senior pastor in Irving, Texas, and great references. But within weeks after he started preaching at Rejoice Ministries in Willmar, Minn., he was fired, and he and his wife were jailed on charges of identity theft, aggravated forgery and theft by swindle. The résumé, the references, even the certificate of ordination were fake, police say. The man has been in prison at least three times, is wanted in Oregon and has 15 aliases. He has adopted the names of a dead Episcopal minister and a living former major-league pitcher, in whose name he allegedly ran up $90,000 in bills for heart surgery. The case is so complicated, said Willmar Police Capt. Dave Wyffels, that "I don't even know if we really know who we've got." His wife, described as a pastor, evangelist and part of the joint ministry team, has eight or nine aliases. She divorced the man's cellmate to marry him, according to a criminal complaint, and believed they were married for about 12 years "but was uncertain because of his various name changes." The two were arrested last month under the names of Dennis Jay Bennett, 64, and Rita Marie Bennett, 56. But he may really be Jerry Dennis Andrews, son of a Seattle pastor. "You're supposed to believe a pastor," said Gaylen Thompson, a board member of the 20-member storefront church in Kandiyohi County's biggest city. "You want to believe him. You want to give him the benefit of the doubt." Or, as Wyffels put it, usually "when a minister says something, you take it at face value." UNRAVELING A STORY Thompson said he contacted authorities after the pastor seemed bent on gaining control of church finances and members' estates and businesses, and parishioners began questioning his identity. In Klamath Falls, Ore., former major-league pitcher Dennis John Bennett said after his wallet was stolen in the mid-1990s from a bar he owned, he became a victim of identity theft. He couldn't get credit and couldn't refinance his house because he wouldn't pay the other man's bills for surgery. "I had to prove that I'd never been in Oklahoma for heart surgery," said Dennis John Bennett, who played for the Philadelphia Phillies, the Boston Red Sox, the New York Mets and the California Angels in the 1960s. "It cost me five years of misery." The former Willmar pastor, who does have a chest incision, wouldn't answer questions in court about his name without a lawyer, Wyffels said. He and his wife were held last week in the county jail in lieu of bail set at $125,000 and $75,000, respectively. Neither the couple nor their lawyers could be reached for comment. The case is outlined by criminal complaints, and in interviews with Wyffels, Thompson and Willmar police detective Matt Akerson, the lead investigator: The couple arrived in February after e-mail exchanges that included references from Calvary Lutheran Church in Branson, OK Federated Church in Leonard, Okla., and the archbishop of London. The Willmar church rented a house for the couple in nearby Spicer and eventually paid them $8,000. "Pastor Bennett" also claimed to have been a professional rodeo cowboy and a martial artist and, Thompson said, told stories about playing pro baseball. He created a Web site for the church and offered to perform weddings, although he apparently didn't do any in Minnesota. But he was reluctant to give a Social Security number, and his sermons seemed lacking to parishioners. He wasn't a good preacher, Thompson said, but he had great material -- cribbed from a book by another Dennis Bennett, an Episcopal minister involved in the charismatic renewal movement in Washington state. That Bennett died in 1991. Church members discovered that the Episcopal minister's widow, author and teacher Rita Bennett, posted a warning on her Web site that someone was using her husband's identity. FAILED GETAWAY In his investigation, Akerson discovered that there was no Calvary Church in Branson, no OK Federated Church and no Calvary Grace Church of Faith in St. Louis, the one listed on the pastor's ordination certificate. He found that in 1969-71 "Pastor Bennett" had served time in federal prisons, including the one in Sandstone, Minn., on motor vehicle and fugitive charges and later in Washington state prison for a vehicle charge, theft and assault with a deadly weapon. The Seattle Times reported in 1984 that a Dennis Jay Bennett had claimed to be an official of the nonexistent American Episcopal Church International, as well as a former Navy officer and Vietnam veteran. In fact, he'd been court-martialed twice in the Marines, the newspaper said. Willmar officers said they arrested "Pastor Bennett" and his wife as they were about to move out of town after emptying their bank account. Officers searched their home in Spicer and found numerous birth certificates, Social Security cards, credit cards and checkbooks under various names, along with official seals, notary stamps and certified copy stamps. They said the FBI and Social Security Administration have joined the case. "We've never had anything this widespread across this many states," Akerson said. Thompson said the Rev. Charis Plumley, 74, who had wanted to retire, has resumed the position of pastor of the church, an offshoot of an Assemblies of God congregation. Before "Pastor Bennett" was hired, officers said, some church members had tried to check the pastor's references by e-mail but he intercepted them. Thompson said he asked why a person with the pastor's list of qualifications would want to move to Willmar to serve a congregation of only about 20 members. The reply: "This is what God has told me to do." Akerson added that the pastor referred to the story of "doubting Thomas," and asked, "If the Lord wants me to be your pastor, who are you to intervene?" Robert Franklin is at rfranklin@startribune.com.