DEER LODGE — Two former Jehovah's Witnesses church elders sentenced recently were denounced by the church in a statement released by a national spokesperson Wednesday.

Speaking from the church's world headquarters in Brooklyn, N.Y., J. R. Brown confirmed that Darryl Willis, 64, Helena, and Dale Erickson, 54, Missoula, were ‘‘disfellowshipped'' in the wake of their conviction for defrauding Una Anderson, a 101-year-old Deer Lodge woman, out of her life savings of $6.5 million.

‘‘Disfellowshipped'' individuals are not only expelled from the church, but are also ostracized by other church members, the spokesperson said.

Brown's press secretary deferred further questions to church elder Mike Murphy in Deer Lodge. Murphy said although neither of the white-collar criminals belonged to the local congregation, they were introduced to Anderson — who was a church member for more than 50 years — by a mutual friend from the Deer Lodge group.

‘‘There is no justification for what those men did,'' Murphy said. ‘‘We feel horrible about what has happened to Una and we feel horrible about what has happened to her family. They lost their heritage as well as their money.''

Murphy said members are also distraught over the loss of Anderson's companionship.

‘‘She has very close friends in the Deer Lodge congregation who still consider her close friends,'' Murphy said. ‘‘Now they are not able to associate with her because of what these two men did.''

Sarah Kelson, Anderson's niece who lives with and cares for her, sees things differently. She says church people literally ran family members off at Anderson's modest one-story home on the outskirts of town when they tried to visit.

‘‘There certainly was a lack of trust,'' Kelson said Wednesday. ‘‘But there was no lack of communication. (Murphy) himself ordered me out of this house. He told me I should leave and the church would take care of everything.

‘‘I'm sure they are distraught,'' Kelson said Wednesday. ‘‘They were all sucking money off of her. The piggy bank closed.''

During a sentencing hearing earlier this month, Janel Pliley, an Adult Protective Services social worker, told the court that Anderson's finances, activities and associations were closely monitored by several church members who caused a division between Anderson and her family members.