A 74-year-old retired priest admitted today that he stole $213,732 from the collection plate at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Cheektowaga over several years.The Rev. F. Norman Sullivan, who recently paid back the stolen money, pleaded guilty to third-degree grand larceny, a felony that carries a sentence of up to seven years in prison.
However, State Supreme Court Justice Russell P. Buscaglia told Sullivan, who had no prior criminal record, that he will face no jail time when he returns for sentencing Oct. 5. Buscaglia said he will instead impose five years' probation.
Sullivan waived indictment in the case, which followed a lengthy investigation by the Erie County district attorney's office.
Wearing a light-colored polo shirt, his dark hair tousled, Sullivan came to court with defense lawyer Noel E. Bartlo and a check for $94,619.88, which Assistant District Attorney John C. Doscher said completed repayment of the missing funds.
Doscher promptly turned the check over to the Diocese of Buffalo.
The prosecutor told Buscaglia that Sullivan used various methods to accomplish the thefts, including both the use of unauthorized checks from parish accounts and pocketing cash donations from parishioners.
Sullivan, who gave a Colden address, was pastor of Most Holy Redeemer, at Genesee Street and Avery Place, from 1989 until 2007, when the church merged with nearby St. Lawrence Church in Buffalo. The consolidation led to the closing of Most Holy Redeemer.
The DA's office was assisted in the investigation by Timothy McPoland, a forensic accountant with the firm of Freed Maxick. He was hired with funds made available by the county government for complex embezzlement cases.
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