Huber Heights priest sentenced to prison in theft case

By Kelley King
WDTN
August 3, 2016

http://wdtn.com/2016/08/03/huber-heights-priest-sentenced-to-prison-in-theft-case/

Fr. Earl Simone

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — A Huber Heights priest who stole from his own church was sentenced in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court.

Former St. Peter Pastor Father Earl Simone was sentenced for aggravated theft Wednesday afternoon in Judge Dennis Langer’s courtroom.

In March, Simone took a plea deal, admitting he stole more than one million dollars from St. Peter Catholic Church over a more than 20 year period. As part of a plea deal, Simone will spend five years in prison and will have to pay back $1.9 million to the church.

In May, Simone issued a letter of apology in the church bulletin saying he could not explain the reasons for his actions.

St. Peter came under investigation for financial irregularities in February 2015 after a complaint was filed with the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Simone resigned in April 2015. He served as pastor of the church for more than two decades.

The Archdiocese has filed a separate civil suit against Simone and ten other “John Does” seeking four million dollars in restitution to St. Peter parish and the Catholic Church. Simone denies the amount taken was more than the $1.5 million he was charged with. He has maintained no other person knew about the theft or tried to cover it up.