Almost three years after his arrest for false imprisonment, a Georgia man who claims to be a pastor pleaded guilty to just one charge. Curtis Bankston of Griffin, Georgia, pleaded guilty to the only count that state prosecutors ended up pursuing: the felony of running an unlicensed personal care home.
As ChurchLeaders reported, Bankston was arrested in January 2022 after authorities discovered eight people, all of whom had mental or physical disabilities, locked in his basement. Paramedics who were called to the house for a medical emergency had to break a basement window to enter.
Bankston and his wife, Sophia Simm-Bankston, were both arrested and charged with crimes including holding people against their will and stealing from vulnerable individuals.
While pleading guilty to the one felony count, Curtis Bankston told a judge he “did not purposely detain anyone.” He also requested that charges be dismissed against his wife, saying she wasn’t responsible for the care-home operation. Bankston received five years of probation, and charges against his wife were dropped, an attorney said.
Accused ‘Pastor’ Said He Was Trying To Help People
Bankston describes himself as senior pastor of One Step of Faith Ministries Inc., although his online bio lists only a business degree. The “group home” he operated in his basement for 14 months was part of the ministry’s Second Chance program.
Investigators alleged that Bankston controlled residents’ money, government benefits, and medications—sometimes withholding necessary care. During his plea hearing, Bankston told the court he didn’t realize he needed a license to operate the group home. “At no point did I intend to put anyone at harm,” he said.
Dexter Wimbish, Bankston’s attorney, said, “This is a zoning issue that has become criminalized.” He said Bankston ran a Christian ministry that provided room and board to unhoused people and wards of the state. Residents could come and go from the basement freely until 8 p.m., when the door was then locked, Wimbish added.
After arresting Bankston, police said, “It is both frightening and disgusting to see the degree to which these individuals have been taken advantage of by people who were in a position of trust. The home was in disarray and not conducive to clean and sanitary living conditions.”
Curtis Bankston Is Suing the City
Curtis Bankston and his wife have filed a $10 million lawsuit against the city of Griffin, saying it mischaracterized their case, which went viral worldwide. Wimbish said the charges against his client were “just garbage,” adding, “It’s been proven that what [police] claim [the Bankstons] did, they didn’t do.”
