Former Texas Preacher Cops Plea In Mortgage Scam; Remains In Hot Water

In Brazoria County, Texas, The Facts reports that former Lake Jackson preacher Harold Higgins , 50, of Missouri City will serve five years’ probation and must pay $18,000 restitution after pleading guilty to three charges Thursday as part of a plea agreement. He was accused of perpetrating a straw buyer scheme on potential homeowners and bilking a woman out of about $10,000. Higgins pleaded guilty to hindering a secured creditor, misdemeanor theft and engaging in organized criminal activity. He has already paid about half of the restitution.

This plea deal with the Brazoria County prosecutor does not get Higgins out of hot water, however. According to the story:

• Higgins was arrested last week in Harris County after being indicted, along with 36 others, and is accused of participating in a similar mortgage scheme there. One of those indicted in Harris County, Obbie Toliver, was named in Higgins’ Brazoria County indictment, though he was not indicted here.

For more, see Former preacher pleads guilty.

For more on the Harris County indictments, see Dozens Charged In Alleged Houston-Area Straw Buyer Fraud Scam.