Houston Man Sentenced to Three Years for Bigamy

Orlando Coleman, a 51-year-old man, has been sentenced to three years in prison for bigamy, announced Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg.

Coleman’s sentence comes after he married three different women since 2019, with his most recent offense occurring just two months after being placed on probation for bigamy.

“At the heart of this repeat offender’s schemes was a plan to defraud women and take advantage of them for financial gain,” Ogg stated. “This man used the church to camouflage his scams and hide from any accountability or responsibility.”

Presenting himself as a bishop who traveled across churches nationwide, Coleman’s deceptive practices led prosecutors to believe he had married at least 10 women in various states.

In 2021, Coleman married a woman in Houston, but five months into their marriage, she discovered Coleman was receiving money from another woman in Virginia. Upon contacting the woman, it was revealed that Coleman had been married to her since 2019.

The matter was brought to the attention of authorities, leading to an investigation by the Harris County Sheriff’s Office and subsequent bigamy charges against Coleman.

In July 2023, Coleman pleaded guilty to bigamy in exchange for three years of deferred adjudication probation. However, just two months later, while still married to the woman in Virginia, Coleman married another woman in Kentucky, committing bigamy once again.

Upon discovering his latest marriage, prosecutors filed a motion to revoke Coleman’s probation. During a hearing on March 11, a judge sentenced him to three years in prison.

Assistant District Attorney Vanessa Goussen, who prosecuted Coleman, emphasized the importance of caution when entering relationships.

“Run a background check, if possible, or try searching their name on the internet, look at their social media, and ask a lot of questions,” Goussen advised. “Unfortunately, many con artists hide behind important sounding titles, and it is easier than you think to get swept off your feet.”

Goussen highlighted the significance of Coleman’s imprisonment to his victims, noting that he exploited their trust within their churches after falsely ascending to positions of authority.