Stealing charge filed against associate pastor accused of taking Blair Murphy campaign signs

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A suspended associate pastor from Broadway Christian Church has been formally charged.

The Rev. Andrew Lawrence Taylor-Peck, 46, of Columbia, has been charged with misdemeanor stealing. He was arrested on Friday evening and posted a $500 bond. An initial court appearance is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 7.

The church announced on Monday that he was put on administrative leave. Taylor-Peck is accused of taking campaign signs that promoted Columbia mayoral candidate Blair Murphy.

A Boone County sheriff’s deputy wrote in the probable cause statement that deputies were called around 5:30 p.m. Friday to Coastal Electric in the 3600 block of Scott Boulevard for a reported theft. Someone at the location told law enforcement that they saw a man take off with a “Vote For Murph” campaign sign, the statement says.

That person allegedly told police that they followed Taylor-Peck down Scott Boulevard, until Taylor-Peck got into a blue Toyota Prius and drove away on West Gillespie Bridge Road, the statement says.

Taylor-Peck was arrested and allegedly admitted to taking five signs between Gillespie Bridge Road and Vawter School Road, court documents say. He then allegedly admitted to dumping the signs in two trash cans on Mesa Drive, court documents say.

He told law enforcement that he used tin shears to remove the signs from the ground, court documents say.