2 Maryland Men Sentenced In Church Bilking Scheme

DETROIT (AP) -- Two Maryland men convicted in a scheme that tried to bilk 21 black churches in Detroit and other Michigan cities of about $660,000 have been sentenced to prison.

Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox says in a statement that Michael Morris of Waldorf was sentenced Wednesday to up to 20 years in prison. William Perkins of Oxon Hill was sentenced to up to 20 years.

They earlier were convicted of felony counts including racketeering and conspiracy to commit false pretenses.

Authorities say companies gave Morris and Perkins funding for electronic kiosks delivered to churches in Detroit, Flint, Saginaw, Inkster, Ferndale, Highland Park, Port Huron and Ypsilanti. Church officers believed they were leasing the video terminals, but learned they had signed purchase agreements instead.

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