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Kenneth C. Nave, former treasurer and deacon of First Free Will Baptist Church, Elizabethton, and his daughter, Connor Alysia Nave Evans, who were convicted of theft of thousands of dollars from the church earlier this year, were ordered to make restitution payments to the church in a Criminal Court hearing Wednesday.

Judge James F. Goodwin, who presided at the hearing, ordered both Kenneth C. Nave and Connor Nave Evans to make restitution payments of $250 per month, beginning October 1, 2024.

Kenneth Nave, who was originally charged with theft of property over $250,000 or more, in a plea agreement earlier this year was convicted of theft of property $60,000 or more. The conspiracy charge was not prosecuted. Nave was sentenced to eight years supervised probation with the Tennessee Department of Corrections.

Evans had been charged with theft of property $60,000 or more and conspiracy to commit theft of property $60,000 or more. At her plea agreement in May, Evans was convicted of theft of property $10,000 or more. The conspiracy charge was not prosecuted. Evans was sentenced to three years supervised probation with the Tennessee Department of Corrections.

Nave and Evans are accused of committing the thefts between January 1, 2018, and November 10, 2023.

Judge Goodwin ordered that the restitution payments be made in a timely manner as a special condition of probation.

After probation, the judge said the church can take civil action to recover the remainder of funds not paid.

Nave, 58, and Evans, 30, were represented by Atty. Evan Meade while the District Attorney’s office served as prosecutors.

In addition to treasurer, Nave served as janitor of the church and was a long-time deacon. He retired earlier this year from his job at East Tennessee State University.