Bay Area woman pleads guilty to defrauding AME Zion Church

OAKLAND – A 71-year-old Vallejo woman is facing up to five years in federal prison for her role in a scheme to defraud the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, prosecutors said.

Sheila Quintana pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, a charge that was filed late last week, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Prosecutors said Quintana, along with co-defendant Staccato Powell, 65, of Wake Forest, N.C., were officers of the West Episcopal District Inc., an entity Powell formed in 2016 after his selection as bishop to AME Zion Church’s Western Episcopal District.

Quintana served as the chief financial officer and Powell as the chief executive officer.

In pleading guilty, Quintana admitted to fraudulently obtaining mortgages on AME Zion Church properties in San Jose, Oakland, Palo Alto, Vallejo and Los Angeles, prosecutors said.

Quintana, for example, assisted with documents and transactions to use the First AME Zion Church in San Jose as collateral for a loan to purchase a home for the congregation’s new pastor. Prosecutors said Quintana drafted a fake resolution on the congregation’s letterhead stating the pastor was permitted to sign all documents relating to real estate transactions following a “unanimous vote by the membership.”

While the paperwork was being processed, Quintana learned the AME Zion Church of Los Angeles held a title interest in the property. She prepared another fake resolution stating the Los Angeles church called a membership meeting in October 2017 and voted to deed the San Jose church to WED Inc., prosecutors said.

Using the resolutions, WED Inc. obtained a loan, the proceeds of which were used to buy the home, prosecutors said. The San Jose congregation later disputed the transaction, including the assertion the membership voted unanimously to approve the resolution.

Prosecutors said Quintana also admitted that between September 2018 and June 2019, in recognition of the amount of time she had spent assisting Powell in the business of the district, she prepared and signed three checks drawn on WED Inc.’s bank account. The checks were payable to Quintana’s spouse and totaled $67,500.

In July 2020, WED Inc. filed a bankruptcy petition, which claimed its assets included 11 churches, a parsonage and Powell’s residence, prosecutors said. The petition stated WED Inc. had property worth $26.3 million and debts totaling $12.4 million.

Quintana and Powell were indicted by a grand jury in January 2022 on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud and two counts of mail fraud, prosecutors said, adding that Powell was indicted on an additional count of mail fraud.

Prosecutors said Quintana faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. She is next scheduled to appear in court on July 15 for a status hearing.