A South Tampa contractor already under a cloud of fraud allegations is back behind bars, this time accused of forging a judge’s signature in a church construction scandal that has left a prime corner lot sitting empty. Detectives say Stephen K. Halford used falsified invoices and other bogus paperwork linked to a fundraising project at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church & School, where a long-planned education building is still nothing more than a fenced-off patch of dirt while civil and criminal cases drag on.
According to the Tampa Bay Times, Halford was arrested June 30 on new fraud counts that include an allegation he forged a judge’s signature. Investigators say the scheme drained at least $674,000 from Holy Trinity. The alleged forgery surfaced as detectives dug more deeply into invoices and court documents, and authorities say the latest arrest builds on an earlier civil suit and an ongoing criminal probe.
Holy Trinity Lutheran School, at 3712 W. El Prado Boulevard, sits next to a parcel on South Dale Mabry Highway that the church bought for a new multipurpose education building, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Instead of fresh classrooms and a bustling campus, the lot remains fenced and unimproved, a daily reminder of the stalled expansion. Church leaders say they raised money for the project and that the alleged theft unraveled plans for additional classrooms and after-school programs.
A 2025 report from the Tampa Bay Times detailed how church officials began flagging suspicious invoices, lien waivers that did not match the work, and bills from vendors who said they had never been paid. The congregation halted construction, sued the general contractor and ultimately won a default judgment in civil court. Prosecutors have folded portions of that civil case into the criminal investigation, and records indicate those filings, along with detectives’ findings, form the backbone of the new fraud charges.
Charges and legal exposure
Under Florida law, forging public records or legally significant documents is a felony. The state’s forgery statute treats falsification of public records or legal instruments as a third-degree felony, as outlined in Florida Statutes, chapter 831. Grand theft charges, meanwhile, depend on the value of the property that was allegedly taken. Under section 812.014, theft of $100,000 or more can be prosecuted as first-degree grand theft, so prosecutors could seek higher-level counts depending on how they decide to charge the case.
Detectives have turned their findings over to the State Attorney’s Office, which will determine whether to file additional charges. If prosecutors move forward, the case will proceed in Hillsborough County courts. Church leaders say they are continuing to pursue civil remedies while the criminal matter plays out, and the fenced-off lot remains a quiet stand-in for the frozen project. Neighbors and parishioners say they are keeping a close eye on the legal process as both sides work through the financial and legal fallout.
