Preacher Accused Of Selling Prescription Drugs

Monday, June 4th 2007, 5:35 pm

By: News On 6

A Green Country preacher is accused of pushing pills from a place of worship. The 72-year-old is in the Mayes County jail. He was arrested on Friday accused of selling prescription drugs out of his Salina church. Neighbors say 72-year-old Frank Leach has lived in the same house in Salina for decades. He's known for running a community church and hosting regular garage sales. The News On 6â€™s Ashli Sims reports many were surprised he's accused of selling something else.

The Mayes County sheriff says the small country church in Salina might be the site of more than just Sunday services.

"This is just kind of an unusual case. This is a 72-year-old preacher,â€ said Mayes County Sheriff Frank Cantey.

Sheriff Cantey says his office got a tip that someone was selling prescription drugs out of Salina Community Church. He says 72-year-old Frank Leach was caught selling Xanax, a prescription anxiety drug, to a police informant.

Cantey says deputies arrested Leach in the church and found 156 pills, more than $5,000 in cash and a .22 revolver.

"He was upset,â€ said Cantey. â€œHe told us he'd meet us at the gates of hell."

Cantey says he was a man of the cross selling pills right out of his church. Folks who live around here say he was a pretty good neighbor.

"It's hard to believe. It caught me by surprise,â€ said a neighbor of Leach. â€œYou know, I'm surprised that something like this would happen."

That man has lived across the street from Leach for years. He says the 72-year-old lives in the building next to the church and often hosts garage sales. He says he knows Leach as the kind of person who did what he could for people in need.

"All the people that goes over there I thought was church-related because people go over there and ask for help," said the neighbor.

Frank Leach is being held on $150,000 bond. Cantey says he's seen an increase in prescription drug busts, since tougher meth laws went into effect.

Watch the video: Preacher Allegedly Selling Prescription Drugs Out Of His Church