United States v. James O. Bakker

WILKINSON, Circuit Judge:

This appeal stems from the trial and sentencing of a well-known televangelist, James 0. Bakker. Bakker raises numerous challenges to his conviction for fraud and conspiracy. We affirm his conviction. Appellant also challenges his sentence on the grounds that the trial judge’s personal religious beliefs tainted the sentencing and that the trial court erred by rejecting Bakker’s attempt to classify his crimes as straddle crimes to be sentenced under the United States Sentencing Guidelines. We hold that the trial court correctly determined that Bakker’s crimes did not…