Feds Arrest Two Suspects In Bishop Lamor Whitehead Church Robbery

Two men connected to the on-camera burglary of Brooklyn pastor, Bishop Lamor Miller-Whitehead, have been arrested early on Wednesday, Sept. 28.

The suspects were both Black men and 23 years old and will allegedly face federal robbery charges for his attack on the preacher during Sunday service at the Brooklyn branch of the Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministry on Remsen Ave. near Avenue D at about 11:15 a.m. on July 24.

The Department of Justice released a statement regarding the arrest. It read, “Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, an indictment was unsealed charging Juwan Anderson and Say-Quan Pollack for their roles in an armed robbery at a church in Brooklyn (the “Church”) on July 24, 2022.  The defendants were arrested today and will be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Ramon E. Reyes, Jr.  A third defendant remains at large.”

U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said, “As alleged, the defendants brought guns into a place of worship, stealing from two members of the clergy, and terrifying the congregation in the process.”

Adding, “I commend the Special Agents and Detectives for their outstanding efforts in identifying the perpetrators who committed a crime that shocks the conscience for its brazenness. This Office will always work with our law enforcement partners to protect our houses of worship, prosecute those who engage in gun violence and ensure the safety of all members of our community.”

“The indictment unsealed today affirms the NYPD’s unwavering commitment to working collaboratively, across several law enforcement agencies, to focus on those few individuals charged with wreaking violence in our city,” said Police Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell.

Sewell continued, “I commend the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and all of our NYPD officers and detectives who have investigated this important case and removed these defendants from our streets.”

“Armed robbery is an intolerable crime, but to commit such an act during a religious service is incomprehensible,” ATF Special Agent-in-Charge DeVito stated.  “The men and women of ATF stand side by side with all of our partners to identify, investigate and apprehend those that commit such brazen acts of violence within our communities.  These arrests are due to the excellent investigative work by ATF/NYPD’s Strategic Pattern Armed Robbery Technical Apprehension (SPARTA) Group. I would like to thank the United States Attorney’s Office for their work in prosecuting this case.”

According to a press release submitted by Whitehead’s publicist, the pastor “was notified by
team members of the NYPD and the ATF robbery task force that two suspects have been taken into custody.”

An arraignment is scheduled for the two men this Wednesday at 2 p.m. (EST) at the United States District Court for the New York Eastern District (Brooklyn Federal Courthouse) located at 225 East Cadman Plaza Brooklyn, NY 11201.

Whitehead, who was arrested recently for choking a Black woman during one of his church services, commended law enforcement for their work in bringing justice to the case.

“Today is the start of healing. We will let the justice system continue to work as I continue to do what God has called me to do,” he said in the statement. “I would like to thank my supporters and hope those that did not believe in my innocence will understand that I along with my family and church are the victims and not the villains.”

In this case, where he is clearly the victim, no one is questioning his innocence. However, he may be referring to the aforementioned assault on a Black woman (captured on film) or the allegations that in November of 2020, Pauline Anderson, a woman from his church, gave him her life savings to help her buy a house and fix her credit.

She alleged and has submitted screenshots of text messages as evidence, that he took her money and did not fulfill his promise to her.

As reported by AllHipHop.com, in a lawsuit filed in 2021 in the Brooklyn Supreme Court, her lawyers wrote, “Mr. Whitehead fraudulently induced Ms. Anderson to liquidate her entire life savings to pay him the ‘investment’ of $90,000.00, promising to use the funds to purchase and renovate a house for her.“

“Ms. Anderson was instead left with nothing but a vague promise by Mr. Whitehead to pay the funds back in the future followed by an assertion that he had no further obligation to do so,” the filing alleged.

This ongoing lawsuit has nothing to do with his robbery.

Whitehead took to Instagram to announce a press conference after the arraignment.

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A post shared by Lamor M Whitehead (@iambishopwhitehead)

“The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty,” the DOJ stressed. “If convicted [for this case], each defendant faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.”