Charges dropped against pastor, counselor accused of trafficking drugs in prison

By Leonardo Blair, Senior Reporter Wednesday, February 12, 2025

An Alabama pastor who was accused of trafficking medicine on the Fountain Correctional Facility in Atmore, the place he additionally labored as a counselor, pledged to proceed serving God and his group after the fees in opposition to him had been dismissed when prosecutors didn’t current any proof in courtroom Monday.

“The issues that I’ve been doing, serving my congregation, serving the troubled youth of the group … it will be a travesty to cease doing these issues that we’ve all the time accomplished, so we’ll proceed to serve and to work the ministry and serve God,” Pastor Vincent Bishop of Future Worship Heart stated exterior an area courtroom in an interview with Fox10 Information.

The 54-year-old pastor was arrested on Dec. 5, 2024, after authorities stated they discovered him with a jail package deal containing 4 cell telephones, 28 grams of marijuana, 56 grams of Flakka — an artificial managed substance — and cigars. It was alleged that the package deal was secretly taped below the rear bumper of his truck.

The pastor’s lawyer, Jerome Carter, stated he was arrange.

At a press convention shortly after Bishop’s arrest, Carter known as the allegations “horrendous.” He stated Bishop had labored on the Fountain Correctional Facility for 17 years previous to his arrest and the one factor he was responsible of was counseling the inmates.

“Bringing those that are incarcerated the Phrase. Bringing them inspiration. Not bringing them anything aside from these gadgets. The Phrase, inspiration, management and steering. That’s what’s he’s dropped at that facility and that’s all he’s ever dropped at that facility,” Carter stated.

Though the fees in opposition to Bishop have been dropped, the district lawyer can nonetheless deliver the case earlier than a grand jury to hunt an indictment.

Carter stated his consumer had additionally deliberate on working for political workplace, however it’s unclear if Bishop has deserted that ambition. He stated that earlier media experiences did not point out that when Bishop was arrested, he was leaving the power to attend a graduation occasion for a number of the inmates he labored with.

“The shortage of widespread sense that he would do all this fancy packaging and securing and put it in a hidden spot within the bumper of the automotive,” Carter advised NBC 15. “He is acquired to get out below surveillance, get it after which depart it there for somebody to return and get it from him that is below video surveillance. It simply does not make widespread sense.”