Tony Alamo (born Bernie LaZar Hoffman; September 20, 1934) is an American (United States) cult leader and convicted child sex offender. He and his late wife Susan are best known as the founders of an organization currently known as Tony Alamo Christian Ministries. The organization is based in and around Fouke (Fouke, Arkansas) and Alma, Arkansas, United States. It has been referred to as a cult. On July 24, 2009 Alamo was convicted in the Federal District Court for the Western District of Arkansas (United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas), sitting in Texarkana, Arkansas, on 10 counts of Interstate Transportation of Minors for Illegal Sexual Purposes, Rape, Sexual Assault and Contributing to the Delinquency of Minors. On November 13, 2009, he was sentenced to the maximum punishment of 175 years in prison.