But after a new priest took over his role at the church and saw that there was a problem with the accounting, an investigation was launched, and now Belchez is facing up to 21 years in jail.
Teresa Carey said she is in shock that something like this happened at the church. “I mean… What are you supposed to say? You just don’t have words to describe how you feel about that. That would be like a police officer going out and breaking the law – and he’s supposed to uphold it. This is a priest who is supposed to uphold the Catholic ways and hasn’t.”
Carey lives across the street from Saint Joseph the Worker Church in Bonneauville and says that she met Caesar Belchez, 52, of New Freedom at a wedding. “He married my niece and nephew several years ago – just went over for that. He seemed like he was a nice personable person at that point. I mean, it was a social event, never would have dreamed anything I read in the paper yesterday.”
State Police arrested Belchez after an investigation by the Adams County District Attorney along with the Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg. They found that from 2006 to 2011 the priest embezzled over $300,000 and charged over $70,000 to credit cards issued to the parish for his own gain.
“The diocese has zero tolerance of any sort of fiscal malfeasants and will pursue criminal activity, criminal actions as well as look for restitution of funds," said Joseph Aponick the Director of Communications of the Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg.
Belchez has been charged with theft by unlawful taking or disposition, theft by failure to make required disposition of funds received, and device fraud. He could now face up to 21 years in jail and up to $45,000 dollars in fines.
Aponick says this kind of thing won't happen again. “This will be a one time incident and it will not be repeated. Our efforts will be doubled to try to make sure our rules are strengthened.”
The Adams County District Attorney said that this is the largest embezzlement case he has ever prosecuted.