DALLAS – The leader of a small Dallas church will spend the next 35 years behind bars for stealing real estate from three other churches.

According to the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office, 56-year-old Whitney Foster is the pastor of a small congregation with no physical place to gather.

He was found guilty of property theft after filing fraudulent deeds for First Christian Church of Lancaster, Canada Drive Church in Dallas, and Church at Nineveh in Dallas.

Prosecutors said Foster listed fake leaders for the three churches as the grantors and named his own church as the grantee.

In the end, he stole three properties worth more than $800,000 combined, prosecutors said.

“Stealing real estate is an incredibly serious and damaging crime. It’s worse than the theft of someone’s vehicle or other possessions,” said District Attorney John Creuzot. “When someone steals property, we must hold them accountable because they are hurting people.”

During the punishment phase of the trial, prosecutors presented evidence of seven more fraudulent deeds. Foster also has prior convictions for identity theft and arson.

“Deed fraud cases are not simply disputes; they are lies and fraud – they are theft – and they are deeply damaging. I’m so grateful that the jury saw the truth in this case and held the defendant to account,” said Phillip Clark, the lead prosecutor on the case.

Two of the three affected churches are still in Foster or his church’s name and his congregation is still actively gathering at one of those locations.

The third property is caught up in a legal battle because of what happened.