2nd plea deal in GR church embezzlement

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - A second person involved in an embezzlement scheme that may have lost Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church more than $230,000 over three years has entered into a plea deal.

Gerolanita Bailey, the former bookkeeper at Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church in Grand Rapids, pleaded no contest to a charge of embezzlement of between $50,000 and $100,000.  

Bailey, 50, is accused of taking nearly $60,000 from the church and using it for her own benefit -- mostly to pay bills.  
As part of the plea deal, the prosecutor's office is recommending Bailey serve five years probation, but is not taking a position on how much time she should spend behind bars, if any.

Former Pilgrim Rest pastor Arthur Pearson, Sr. pleaded no contest to an embezzlement charge in late January, more than a year after allegations of wrong-doing surfaced.

A no contest charge is not an admission of guilt but is treated that way for sentencing, which is scheduled for April 11.