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Temple presidentRecord TKF-008

Tapahpunja

  • Murder / murder plot
  • Fraud / embezzlement

Legal name Terry Sheldon

New Vrindaban community (West Virginia); sankirtan fundraising
President of a Krishna temple in Cleveland, Ohio

Record summary

1 entry — 1 admission.

Last reviewed
Admitted1996 · murder conspiracy

Bio

Tapahpunja (legal name Terry Sheldon) was a member of the New Vrindaban community in Marshall County, West Virginia, and, with Dennis Gorrick, “directed the sankirtan efforts” (street fundraising) of the community “from 1973 until around 1977 or 1978”; he then left New Vrindaban to become president of a Krishna temple in Cleveland, Ohio (Fourth Circuit). According to the Fourth Circuit’s account of the trial evidence, after 1986 he left the United States and lived at an ISKCON temple in Ireland under another name. He was a co-defendant of Keith Ham (Kirtanananda Swami) in the 1990–1991 federal case (Fourth Circuit). No further biographical facts have been confirmed.

Sources (3)
  1. [1]Opinion, United States v. Ham, 998 F.2d 1247 (4th Cir. 1993), Nos. 91-5350, 91-5430 and 91-5870 (appeals of Keith Gordon Ham, Steven Fitzpatrick and Terry Sheldon), Jul 1, 1993 (document)
  2. [2]The Seattle Times, Death Shadows Landmark Hare Krishna Temple -- Federal 'Demons' Hit Leader Of Center In West Virginia (David Wilkison) — AP report, Apr 17, 1994
  3. [3]West Virginia University Libraries, Henry Doktorski, Compiler, Records regarding Kirtanananda Bhaktipada Swami and the New Vrindaban Commune, A&M 4646 — finding aid, Apr 17, 2025

Record

1 entry · most established first
Admitted
TKF-008-A

Conspiracy to murder Steven Bryant; racketeering and mail-fraud conspiracy

CriminalMurder / conspiracy to murder, Fraud / embezzlementPeriod c. 1985–1986

The Fourth Circuit's account of the trial evidence states that after the 1986 killing of Steven Bryant, Sheldon picked up $6,000 for Thomas Drescher from Kirtanananda Swami, planned to leave the country with Drescher, and later confessed to an ISKCON temple president in Ireland that he had engineered the murder. His 1991 convictions were vacated on appeal; he then pleaded guilty to a conspiracy count (AP). Testifying at Kirtanananda Swami's 1996 retrial, he said he had taken part in the surveillance of Bryant and had told Kirtanananda of the plot, and that Kirtanananda replied, "Maybe that's what Krishna wants" (AP).

Status history
  1. 1990ChargedIndicted with Keith Ham (Kirtanananda Swami) in the New Vrindaban federal racketeering case (CR 90-87, N.D. W.Va.). The Fourth Circuit's 1995 opinion records that he was a co-defendant on the RICO conspiracy count, the substantive RICO counts, the count of conspiracy to murder and the count of aiding and abetting murder (18 U.S.C. § 1958), and, with Steven Fitzpatrick, on one mail-fraud conspiracy count and one mail-fraud count. The Fourth Circuit rejected the government's appeal against his pretrial release on 10 September 1990 (No. 90-5695).
  2. 1991ConvictedConvicted of RICO conspiracy (Count I), conspiracy to murder Steven Bryant (Count IV) and mail-fraud conspiracy (Count VI). District judgment entered 24 September 1991 (Fourth Circuit docket 91-5870).
  3. 1993ChargedThe US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit vacated his convictions and Keith Ham's, holding that evidence of child molestation, homosexuality and the treatment of women had unfairly prejudiced both, and remanded for retrial (998 F.2d 1247); one judge dissented, saying that Sheldon "was not implicated in child molestation or homosexuality" and that he would have affirmed. The 1995 opinion confirms: "We also vacated the convictions of Terry Sheldon".
  4. 1994AdmittedAP reported that, as part of a plea agreement, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced on 14 March 1994 to five years in prison on a conspiracy count involving the death of Bryant. Plea and sentence reported by AP; the court record is not online (pre-electronic filing). West Virginia University's finding aid for the Doktorski collection lists folders titled "United States v. Terry Sheldon, 1986-1994" (A&M 4646, Box 10, Folders 22–25), not seen.
  5. 1996AdmittedTestifying at Keith Ham's 1996 retrial, he "said he participated in the surveillance of Bryant with Drescher and told Bhaktipada of the plot to kill Bryant" (AP). A second AP report quotes his account of Bhaktipada's reply: "He was reflective. Then he turned to me and said, 'Maybe that's what Krishna wants.'" He also testified that Bryant had spread rumours about Bhaktipada and had threatened his life, and that security was a concern after a 1985 assault on Bhaktipada.
Outcome

Five years' imprisonment (AP). The exact count of the plea and his release date have not been confirmed.

Opinion, United States v. Ham, 998 F.2d 1247 (4th Cir. 1993), Nos. 91-5350, 91-5430 and 91-5870 (appeals of Keith Gordon Ham, Steven Fitzpatrick and Terry Sheldon)PDF · 11 ppOpinion, United States v. Ham, 58 F.3d 78 (4th Cir. 1995), No. 94-5507 (double jeopardy; retrial of the forfeiture count and the murder predicate acts)PDF · 8 ppGeneral docket, United States v. Sheldon, Fourth Circuit No. 90-5695 (government appeal of pretrial release order)PDF · 4 ppGeneral docket, United States v. Sheldon, Fourth Circuit No. 91-5870 (appeal from conviction; consolidated with No. 91-5350)PDF · 8 pp
Sources (8)
  1. [1]Opinion, United States v. Ham, 998 F.2d 1247 (4th Cir. 1993), Nos. 91-5350, 91-5430 and 91-5870 (appeals of Keith Gordon Ham, Steven Fitzpatrick and Terry Sheldon), Jul 1, 1993 (document) original
  2. [2]The Seattle Times, Death Shadows Landmark Hare Krishna Temple -- Federal 'Demons' Hit Leader Of Center In West Virginia (David Wilkison) — AP report, Apr 17, 1994 original
  3. [3]Associated Press, Hare Krishna member says he acted at leader's behest — AP, Martinsburg; reprinted by the Cult Education Institute, Apr 18, 1996 original
  4. [4]Associated Press, Testimony: Former Swami Knew of Plan To Kill Dissident (David Sharp) — AP, Martinsburg; newspaper clipping (the paper and date are not shown); Kirtanananda's stated age (58) places it at the April 1996 retrial; copy held by the editors, April 1996
  5. [5]Opinion, United States v. Ham, 58 F.3d 78 (4th Cir. 1995), No. 94-5507 (double jeopardy; retrial of the forfeiture count and the murder predicate acts), Jun 20, 1995 (document) original
  6. [6]West Virginia University Libraries, United States v. Terry Sheldon, 1986-1994 — finding aid entry; Henry Doktorski, Compiler, Records regarding Kirtanananda Bhaktipada Swami and the New Vrindaban Commune, A&M 4646, Series 5, Box 10, Folders 22–25 original
  7. [7]General docket, United States v. Sheldon, Fourth Circuit No. 91-5870 (appeal from conviction; consolidated with No. 91-5350), Sep 30, 1991 (document) original
  8. [8]General docket, United States v. Sheldon, Fourth Circuit No. 90-5695 (government appeal of pretrial release order), Aug 17, 1990 (document) original

Places

1

Timeline

Each status change in this record, on one axis, with the periods of the cases Tapahpunja is involved in.

Showing 6 of 6
Charged May 1990 Conspiracy to murder Steven Bryant; racketeering and mail-fraud conspiracyConvicted 1991 Conspiracy to murder Steven Bryant; racketeering and mail-fraud conspiracyCharged Jul 1, 1993 Conspiracy to murder Steven Bryant; racketeering and mail-fraud conspiracyAdmitted Mar 14, 1994 Conspiracy to murder Steven Bryant; racketeering and mail-fraud conspiracyAdmitted Apr 17, 1996 Conspiracy to murder Steven Bryant; racketeering and mail-fraud conspiracy Case · 1986–1994 · The murder of Steven Bryant (Sulocana dasa), Los Angeles, 1986
1986198819901992199419961998
  1. 1986
  2. 1990
    • ChargedMay 1990 Conspiracy to murder Steven Bryant; racketeering and mail-fraud conspiracy Indicted with Keith Ham (Kirtanananda Swami) in the New Vrindaban federal racketeering case (CR 90-87, N.D. W.Va.). The Fourth Circuit's 1995 opinion records that he was a co-defendant on the RICO conspiracy count, the substantive RICO counts, the count of conspiracy to murder and the count of aiding and abetting murder (18 U.S.C. § 1958), and, with Steven Fitzpatrick, on one mail-fraud conspiracy count and one mail-fraud count. The Fourth Circuit rejected the government's appeal against his pretrial release on 10 September 1990 (No. 90-5695).
  3. 1991
  4. 1993
    • ChargedJul 1, 1993 Conspiracy to murder Steven Bryant; racketeering and mail-fraud conspiracy The US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit vacated his convictions and Keith Ham's, holding that evidence of child molestation, homosexuality and the treatment of women had unfairly prejudiced both, and remanded for retrial (998 F.2d 1247); one judge dissented, saying that Sheldon "was not implicated in child molestation or homosexuality" and that he would have affirmed. The 1995 opinion confirms: "We also vacated the convictions of Terry Sheldon".
  5. 1994
    • AdmittedMar 14, 1994 Conspiracy to murder Steven Bryant; racketeering and mail-fraud conspiracy AP reported that, as part of a plea agreement, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced on 14 March 1994 to five years in prison on a conspiracy count involving the death of Bryant. Plea and sentence reported by AP; the court record is not online (pre-electronic filing). West Virginia University's finding aid for the Doktorski collection lists folders titled "United States v. Terry Sheldon, 1986-1994" (A&M 4646, Box 10, Folders 22–25), not seen.
  6. 1996
    • AdmittedApr 17, 1996 Conspiracy to murder Steven Bryant; racketeering and mail-fraud conspiracy Testifying at Keith Ham's 1996 retrial, he "said he participated in the surveillance of Bryant with Drescher and told Bhaktipada of the plot to kill Bryant" (AP). A second AP report quotes his account of Bhaktipada's reply: "He was reflective. Then he turned to me and said, 'Maybe that's what Krishna wants.'" He also testified that Bryant had spread rumours about Bhaktipada and had threatened his life, and that security was a concern after a 1985 assault on Bhaktipada.

Documents

4
Opinion, United States v. Ham, 998 F.2d 1247 (4th Cir. 1993), Nos. 91-5350, 91-5430 and 91-5870 (appeals of Keith Gordon Ham, Steven Fitzpatrick and Terry Sheldon)PDF · 11 ppOpinion, United States v. Ham, 58 F.3d 78 (4th Cir. 1995), No. 94-5507 (double jeopardy; retrial of the forfeiture count and the murder predicate acts)PDF · 8 ppGeneral docket, United States v. Sheldon, Fourth Circuit No. 90-5695 (government appeal of pretrial release order)PDF · 4 ppGeneral docket, United States v. Sheldon, Fourth Circuit No. 91-5870 (appeal from conviction; consolidated with No. 91-5350)PDF · 8 pp

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