Springfield Baptist Church Eric Lee dismisses arrest allegations: “It is absolutely not true.”

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA—Eric W. Lee, pastor of Springfield Baptist Church, is refuting a blogger’s post that he was arrested on Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, and that he had a previous arrest in 2018.

Lee lives in Newton County. Springfield Baptist Church is located in neighboring Rockdale County. 

The allegations were made by The Newton Exposer on Wednesday, Oct. 30.  On Common Ground News checked jail records, but did not find any arrests concerning Lee in the Newton County jail’s database. The post was removed late Wednesday.

Lee spoke with On Common Ground News, saying he put put out on social media that the information was false.

“I have never been arrested. It is absolutely not true,” Lee told On Common Ground News on Wednesday night.  ”I do not know who they are.  I do not know what their motive is, but I do plan to speak to an attorney about it.” 

Lee also dismissed the allegations on his social  page, posting: 

The blogger had suggested in the post that Lee had ties to the now-indicted former Chairman of Newton County, Marcelo Banes, and federally-indicted Stephanie Lindsey, commissioner-elect and attorney. Lee acknowledged that Banes is a member of his church and as such, Lee remains his pastor.     

“Marcelo Bains is a member of my church. He is under indictment.  I’m his pastor. I’m not going to stop being his pastor because he’s under indictment,” Lee said. “I really think this is somebody who wants to muddy the waters with him(Banes) and wants to put me in whatever indictment and none of it has anything to do with me.”  

Below is the blogger’s post, which was removed late Wednesday,Oct. 30: