FLORENCE, S.C. -- A former Conway pastor was sentenced on federal charges stemming from a ponzi scheme in which people were bilked out of millions of dollars.
Archie Larue Evans was sentenced on Wednesday to seven years in prison, three years supervised release and ordered to pay restitution of $3,763,339.53 on the charges of mail fraud and conspiracy to structure transactions with a financial institution and to launder money.
Evans entered a guilty plea on those charges in January of 2013.
Evans is the former pastor of Tilly Swamp Baptist Church in Conway.
Prosecutors say he convinced church members and others to invest in a company he ran promising high rates of interest. They say he lost or spent the money, but prepared false financial statements showing high returns.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
