There is an interesting side note to the article about trouble in the Rocky Mountain District of the United Pentecostal Church.
As I was looking into the situation, I discovered a cached version of the opinion article to Sweetwater Now from Jeff Ramaj on Wayback, which showed that there was one, probably two, people attempting to have it removed. A man had visited their office the same day that it posted, asking that it be removed. After this, an attorney contacted them, also asking that it be removed. Since someone had already been to the office (and, to me, while there he must have changed his mind about having it removed as it still exists today), they requested that the attorney have their client appear in person. They did not comply. Because of this, the paper posted a video of the man who visited the office, asking for the public to clarify who it was. Below is what the paper wrote.
UPDATE — According to Attorney Danielle M. Mathey, the letter we received was sent by someone who accessed her client’s tablet computer, she asked that the letter be removed. We asked that she have her client come to our office and identify himself via photo ID, as just prior to her call, a man identifying himself as the person who sent the letter to the editor to SweetwaterNOW visited our office asking that it be taken down.
Since she refused the request for an in-person identification, we have no choice but to publish the video of the man who came to our office in hopes that the community will be able to identify him to confirm the sender’s identity.
The video indeed showed that it was the actual author, Jeff Ramaj, who had visited the office. In a discussion on the newspaper’s Facebook Page, Ramaj explained, “It is unfortunate that letters such as this have to be written it is however sometimes neccessary in order to get peoples attention after seding this in to sweetwaternow i realized the wrong letter had posted this one was meant only for the district the other letter was meant to demonstrate our resolve in continuing the fight against an unjust situation.” In response to a woman who mentioned the subject of separation of church and state and that she didn’t see this as a Rock Spring problem, he replied, “We watched lives diminish here a once prosperous church now gone”. One woman with UPC ties tagged pastor Keith Riley and his wife, Tanua, acknowledged it. At the time of this discussion, Ramaj shared that they were “hoping to bring this to a close soon.”
It appears the original letter that Ramaj wanted posted was never submitted. The situation also seems to indicate that another party unsuccessfully attempted to have the article removed via the attorney. It makes no sense to me that Ramaj would have gone to an attorney, either before or after he visited the paper, since he was the one who sent it, the article has remained available all these months, and these events happened the same day it was posted. It also seems very suspect to me that an attorney would refuse to have her client appear in person at the newspaper’s office. Note that according to the paper’s statement, Mathey didn’t seem to indicate that her client was the author of the letter, but rather that she stated it was her client’s tablet computer that was used to send it. Also, if Ramaj had hired the attorney, and since he had visited the paper, it would be ridiculous to refuse another appearance. Because of all this, it does appear that someone else, who obviously did not wish to be identified, hired the attorney in an effort to have it removed.
UPCI Rocky Mountain District Trouble
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It was Ramaj’s attorney. He lied and said someone hacked his computer. Then the Sweetwater Now published the truth.
One of the saints in the church tagged Keith and Tanua because all this was untrue and they wanted them to see it.
This man threatened Pastor Riley after he found out he was turning people away from him, and having to counsel people thatbdid not like his (Jeff’s) preaching. He was caught in town several accounts telling dirty jokes, swearing, cursing, dipping, and stirring trouble. When Oastor Riley told him that he would not sign for him to get his preaching license at the moment and that he would have to improve himself, Jeff stood up and told the pastor he would live to regret this.
He was not kicked out of church, he resigned. There is a letter. He just got mad and out his cart before the horse. He has three people who were never members of the church and two very rarely came at all till Jeff needed him. There were requirements to be on the voting members. He left Dec. 27, 2015 stating he and his family would not be back as did the Cicero Family and were crossed off that day as their wish.
I have text of where he tried to get the pastor to sell the church earlier that year and the pastor had already told them NO, yet he blames the Oastor.
He was trying to take over before the pastor even got moved here. He even stated that in a letter he wrote about everyone in the church.
He continues to come up with new lies all the time.
No one liked him from the time we got there. Everyone said he lied habitually. Pastor Riley tried to give him the benefit if the doubt. In Nov of 2015 he told the Pastor that he would be pastoring the church sooner than he thought.
Oct 9th, 2015 after he kept on and on about another group there and complained about everything they did, even putting up cameras to agitate them, they finally decided to leave after a District church meeting. After they left he put on the church sign over the weekend, “UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT”which is totally unChrist like. He would meet people in town and tell them not to come back to church. He ruined the church, not the Riley’s.
He has also lied and said the bylaws were changed, but I have video access where he lied on court papers and they state word for word exactly what he signed.
He cannot open his mouth without lying.
He laughs at peoples calamity. He laughed about the sign and Pastor took it down.
He laughed about having the money counters taken out of the soundbooth where they had always counted mo;wy saying they were bothering him.
He said another Jeff came in the soundbooth and kissed his wife on the cheek. I have it in his own handwriting.
He talked about a preacher ruining his business.
He talked about Marshall being lazy and Marshall followed him right out of the church.
Just because there is complaints in a church does not mean the person is speaking truth.
Pastor Riley nor Sis. Riley has ever claimed to be prophets of God forbid and were clearly taught against that though he does believe in the healing piwer of God. It is totally up to God to heal.
Talking about begging for money is a lie. They too have been very low income and could not pay their tithing in the past. A lady got up and said that they needed to pay him after the first group left, but he never begged and never will.
You would think after listening to him that they lived in some huge home like he does…no they live in a 1990’s mobile home that is in need of repair.
I’m not saying the pastor may not have made a few mistakes, after all, every pone has sinned and cipome shiport of the glory of God.
His daughter had done the books because they were abruptly turned over in June 2015. There was not 25 grand to be stolen after that beings tho there were only 6-7 families left. His job was to coun the money with Kortney immediately after each service and she would have to run him down when as a task force member, it was up to him and he knew it. He was trying to set her up then. At the end of the year, a previous secretary helped show her how to do year ending. Tanua Riley would throw up her hands in the sound booth and refuse to take the offering plate due to a situation that she had gotten in before, she was not about to touch them. Jeff in return would get agitated. If the office door was locked he would have to take them to the sound booth himself.
I have never met a more lying, vicious, manipulative person in my life.
It is sad that he tries to steal property and blame it on the preacher. That is all he talked about was him becoming pastor, how he and Anna had been married 7x to keep from paying child support and evade taxes by changing the landscaping business company in one or the others names. He laughespd about not paying child support on his kids. He doesn’t claim the girl.
He talked and texted about wife problems. Several times and the very last service they attended Sis. Riley got embarrassed at the altar because Anna had been in this kick with her of how their marriage was just a business deal. Sis. Riley was sick of hearing it and she said it so loud that others could hear and Sis. Riley told her if she ever planned on being a preachers wife that she needed to stop saying that.
When Jeff preached people would either not come or get up and walk out. He preached on stockpiling for endtime. Talked about shooting in the endtime. What about, Thou shalt not kill?
He has chainkovpcked the church and out cameras all outside the church.
Pastor Riley resigned like he wanted him to and now they can’t get their things out o& the church to leave.
He claims he has found all this stuff on them and it is all lies. Have docs to prove it.
All liars shall have their place in the lake of fire.
GOD KNOWS ALL THE ANSWERS AND KNOWS THEY HAVE NEVER TRIED TO HURT ANYONE. ANYONE HE HAS PASTORED WOULD AGREE. HE JUDGES NO ONE. ANYONE IS WELCOME AT THE CHURCH. THEY NEVER RAN ANYONE OFF, THEY WILLINGLY LEFT.
Pastor Riley was voted in. Sad how jealousy takes over.
The Riley’s are the least of these. They never tried to be anybody. They just simply have much faith in God.
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts on what has been happening. You wrote, “Just because there is complaints in a church does not mean the person is speaking truth.” That is absolutely true. He made some very serious accusations. What has become of them? If he is deliberately lying about those things, he opens himself up to a potential lawsuit and it would be extremely foolish on his part.
I understand how some people react when they are turned down for a license as I saw it myself at my former UPCI church. A man went before the board and for whatever reasons, the board turned him down. He became angry and said negative things and then if memory serves me correctly, he started openly wearing a necklace and grew facial hair. People can react in all types of ways, both good and bad. If what you share about Ramaj’s reaction is accurate, then he has caused his own fate in that he will probably never hold license in the UPCI. A person can sometimes cut off their nose to spite their face, as the old saying goes.
Let me see if I understand you correctly. Riley has resigned as pastor but somehow Ramaj, who is no longer a member, has chain locked the church and set up cameras, preventing the Riley family from removing their personal items? Unless he owns the church, he would have no legal right to do so and that should be very easily rectified with police intervention. If this is all true, it is certainly a mess and a nasty situation and troubling for all members. Meanwhile, there are serious accusations made by Ramaj that need to be properly and openly addressed by the District, regardless of whether they believe him to be lying. It has been a public battle for awhile now. May the truth become known to all involved.
I am writing about this article. i think it is very unfair to take the things of Jeff Ramaji saying to people . I attended the rock springs upc church in the process of our former pastor Bro Davis leaving and Bro Riley getting his family and things here ,Jeff Ramaji was preaching my family n I stopped going until pastor Riley could get here, because we knew the lifestyle Jeff Ramaji and his wife Anna led ,and we didn’t feel comfortable attending the church as long as he was preaching when he didn’t line up with the word of God.
After pastor Riley arrived he was helping Jeff I believe get his license to preach and was. Letting him preach .it had come to pastor Riley’s attention some of the things Jeff was doing such as chweing tobacco and cussing he told pastor it was shredded jerky he was chewing cause it helps his adah or whatever it was he had. Well someone that worked with Jeff (not my boys)but someone else told pastor Riley what he was doing . Pastor said he wanted to see proof for himself .well pastor Riley found out what he needed and sat Jeff Ramaji down from preaching until Jeff could fix the habits he had . Right after that Jeff decided to leave the church taking a few with him .the amount now and then that Jeff Ramaji has said pastor Riley has taken is so absurd
..if u would ask.our former pastor how much money has went thru our church I’m sure he would be glad to tell u .I don’t understand how someone can get sat down from preaching and have so much hate in their heart and call themselves Christ like. .. pastor Riley has been on life support and has that held against him .he didn’t get or know about the court date he was very sick .u can’t attend a hearing if on life support when is enough going to be enough? Jeff has even posted on Facebook to pray for pastor Riley to die and even said sis Riley was close to death ,,that was very untrue ,but still he is getting by with all these lies .???
Does everyone know his business is in his wife’s name to avoid back child support he owes ,,that he doesn’t take taxes out of his employees pay ?? That’s how it was when some of my family worked for him ,,but that is overlooked and he’s being Christ like in being dishonest with the government ,but supposed to believe him in other matters , like he told some of my family who worked for him ,he was a navy seal but was afraid of water . I don’t know of to many people who take him at his word ,it has really made my children leery of people in the church because of how Jeff Ramaji has conducted his self ..he is not being Christ like in any of his actions .
yes we love pastor Riley as much as we did our first pastor in Indiana who has passed. Pastor Tommy shields. i know Jeff Ramaji wants pastor Riley to lose his license which is so unfair because Jeff Ramaji likes nothing more than to hurt others because he’s not happy. i can’t believe he’s went this far in tearing down a family and a pastor ..we have a beautiful building but not alot of money he got sat down from preaching is what Jeff Ramaji is mad about.
he attempted to start a church , which it failed. people around here know him and what he’s about. i think it is a shame it has gone this far Bro Pearce and Bro cardihan are both very good men and now their names are drug they the middle because they didn’t side with Jeff Ramaji. he thought they was so great in the beginning …this is not only how I feel but others feel that same as well .the church bus God’s church not ours .I think the district should provide pastor an attorney to help in this matter.
I took the liberty of breaking your long post into some paragraphs to make it easier for people to read. Often times people will not bother reading long comments when there are none. Thank you for taking time to share your thoughts on what has been happening. The District will never provide one of their pastors with an attorney for something like this. In lawsuits, the UPCI will state that every church is autonomous and that they have nothing to do with day to day operations.
As to your allegation that Ramaj posted on Facebook to pray for the pastor to die, send me a screen shot of the post in question and I will add it to the article.
I’m sorry my comments weren’t in praragrqph the correct way, i was trying to write and take care of my 15 month old grandson. i will try to get a screenshot of that idk if I can simply because he has prevented me from even commenting on his pages. i will however ask some others in the church if they have it. ido have complete faith in my past. i do know Jeff thought the world of pastor Riley as his wife did Sis, Riley..she had stated that it was Sis Riley who help her come out of her she’ll and start worshipping and shouting once again, because Sis Riley was helping Jeff and Anna in the sound room.
after service noone could get near Bro Riley because Jeff Ramaji made sure he was with pastor and noone could get close to him .you really had to.just go to him whether Jeff was there or not. I’m sure there are mistakes pastor made from time to.time,but what he is accusing him of ,is not like my pastor at all. has anyone cared to ask the people has pastored before? When I had noone ,it’s the Riley’s who was there for me. altho pastor has resigned .he is still my pastor!!
I read in a previous comment how he didn’t pay tithes,well he sure had the money to give my cousin $500.. I don’t know but I have heard that jeff and another lady that was in the first group that left was wanting to sell the church and property . It’s very sad pastor name and family name has been drug thru the mud ,.I know also Jeff put the Riley’s their daughter and grandchildrens picture up on Facebook and said beware these people are fraudulent ..leave the kids out of it!!! Sis Riley even commented ,you have gone to far bringing the kids into it !!
I believe I recall seeing the Facebook comment you mentioned at the end. I agree, the grandchildren’s picture should not have been included. They have nothing to do with anything, regardless of who is being truthful and who is not.
You asked, “has anyone cared to ask the people has pastored before?” Their views on this would be immaterial as they would have nothing to share which would either support or deny the current accusations. Below are some of the serious allegations involved, which need to be addressed. Even if Ramaj behaves contrary to how a believer should act, even if he has sinister or wrong motives, the questions will remain until they are properly addressed by the parties involved.
Did the Rileys divert money from the general church fund to their own personal use?
Did Pearce and Carnahan have anything to do with this (if true)?
Were church bylaws bypassed and/or changed?
Was Riley selling items belonging to the church?
Was there more than a $34,000 difference in reported income in 2015?
Did Hogue embezzle hundreds of thousands of dollars from the District and if so, did the District officials fail to report and prosecute?
I would love to share with you information that would very likely assist you in your quest for the truth about Sam and Tanua Riley.