Alleged Priest Pleads Not Guilty to Theft Charges

GALESBURG (IL)
WGIL

POSTED 2:53pm 4/30/12 A man claiming now to be a St. Louis resident, and also claiming to be a priest, has pleaded not guilty to charges including theft, financial exploitation of the elderly, and deceptive practices in Knox County.

The Reverend Ryan St. Anne Scott made the plea during a brief appearance in Knox County Circuit Court Monday morning.

Scott appeared with his attorney, dressed in religious garb including a cross around his neck, and also asked for a trial by jury. This, despite the fact that the Catholic Diocese of Peoria has previously labeled Scott a “fraudulent” priest.

Prosecutors accuse Scott of borrowing large sums of money from an elderly Galesburg woman between 2009 and last year, without paying her back.

Scott formerly owned the Holy Rosary Abbey Church in Galesburg.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.