PENNSYLVANIA
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
By Renatta Signorini
Published: Tuesday, March 11, 2014
A Roman Catholic priest on leave from a Diocese of Greensburg church allegedly stole thousands of dollars from parish coffers, according to a criminal complaint filed Tuesday morning.
The Rev. Emil Stephen Payer, 69, of Unity is accused of taking about $124,000 from the Church of the Seven Dolors in South Huntingdon during a nearly three-year period while he was in charge of the parish, county detectives said in an affidavit of probable cause.
Payer was arraigned and is free on a signature bond. He turned himself in Tuesday morning.
The diocese announced in April 2011 that the church was being audited after several parishioners raised concerns about several accounts. Payer continued to handle pastoral duties at that point, but duties related to church business were administered by another priest.
Four months later, Payer was placed on leave from the South Huntingdon church and a criminal investigation was launched.
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