$1 million bond for priest accused of theft

Bond was set at $1 million Tuesday for a Roman Catholic priest accused of stealing more than $400,000 from the collection plates of his Roselle parish.

Rev. John Regan, wearing the blaze orange jumpsuit of a DuPage County Jail inmate, appeared on closed circuit camera in bond court after returning from an out-of-state counseling center where he had been receiving treatment for a gambling addiction.

Regan, 45, was indicted last week on 21 counts of theft, money laundering and operating a continuing financial enterprise by the DuPage County Grand Jury.

Assistant States Attorney Brooks Locke told Judge Peter Ostling that the priest is accused of stealing "more than $400,000" from the St. Walter's Catholic church in Roselle from 2006 to 2008, when he was the pastor.

Regan told Ostling that he wasn't going to be able to post the 10 percent bond. However, Locke told Ostling that defense attorneys have already asked for a Feb.18 hearing date before Judge John Kinsella to ask for a bond reduction that could allow Regan's release.

Regan will be arraigned on the criminal charges on March 9.

The indictment charges that Regan deposited the church funds into his personal accounts and then made withdrawals at riverboat casinos. Bank officials noticed irregularities and reported them.
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(Source: BNC)