NEW ORLEANS – A former Plaquemines Parish pastor, who worked as a liaison between FEMA and parish residents who were looking to receive trailers, has pleaded guilty to several drug charges, said District Attorney Charles Ballay.
Investigators say Reverend Martin Denesse, the former pastor of Grace Harbor Ministries, took $2,200 payments from more than 175 people who believed they were paying for insurance to receive free FEMA trailers. However, those residents never received their trailers, and earlier this year police arrested Denesse on drug charges after police found several pounds of marijuana in his SUV.
Church officials say the money allocated for the trailers is now gone.
Denesse faces sentencing Sept. 23 for the following guilty pleas: possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine, theft of over $500 from the Grace Harbor Christian Ministries “trailer fund” and 186 counts of unauthorized use of a movable over $1,000.
Denesse has a new bond hearing date set for Dec. 21.
