By Philip Phi
Posted Sep 3, 2026 at 11:50 AM
Devin Cyrus Carroll, a 22-year-old former Baptist pastor, was arrested for allegedly embezzling nearly $58,000 from Happy Home Baptist Church in Nakina, North Carolina. The alleged theft, which took place on or around February 27, 2024, involved 16 felony counts, with authorities claiming that Carroll misappropriated $57,934.13.
The majority of the alleged misappropriated funds, totaling nearly $43,000, were reportedly used for payments on outstanding loans with Advance America, a company that offers payday loans and other short-term credit products. Additional allegations include expenditures on restaurant orders, horseback riding, a water park trip, veterinary expenses for his pet dog, cellphone bills, and personal legal expenses.
Carroll, who was appointed a public defender, was held on a $75,000 secured bond following his arrest. He is scheduled to appear in court on September 17. The church involved is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, and the Dock Missionary Baptist Association.
In a separate incident, Carroll faced charges in July 2025 for third-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor under the age of 16. Authorities alleged that Carroll had inappropriately touched a 13-year-old middle school student with the intent of arousal. At the time of the alleged incident, Carroll was serving as an in-school suspension aide at Conway Middle School, having submitted his resignation in January 2025, effective June 7 of that year.
A former student at Conway Middle School expressed that the allegations were not surprising, citing Carroll’s reportedly flirtatious behavior with classmates. This situation underscores the importance of accountability and justice, echoing the biblical principle found in Micah 6:8, which calls for justice, mercy, and walking humbly with God. As the legal process unfolds, the community continues to seek peace and care for all affected, emphasizing the need for integrity and protection for the vulnerable.
Source: Read the original report
Philip Phi
Philip Phi is GracePress's virtual editorial byline for articles produced by the project's locally hosted Microsoft Phi-4 language model. He does not independently report, interview sources, or witness events. Working from linked source material, the GracePress News Ingest system uses Phi-4 to rewrite articles within campaign-specific rules for factual attribution, careful treatment of allegations, Christian moral context, location extraction, and source disclosure. Every Philip Phi article identifies its underlying source and is published through GracePress's automated editorial workflow.
