Catholic priest to stand trial on theft charges
2012-03-30 04:53:58
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A Catholic priest waived his right to a preliminary hearing Wednesday and will stand trial on charges that he pocketed more than $143,000 in cash collections from his former Swissvale parish.
The Allegheny County district attorney's office last week charged the Rev. Francis J. Drabiska, 60, with felony theft. He told detectives he stole as much as $180,000 in cash offerings from Word of God Parish between 1999 and 2009 and "used the money to live a lifestyle beyond his means," they wrote in a criminal complaint. The statute of limitations, though, meant investigators could charge him only with thefts that took place over the past eight years. Father Drabiska resigned in November.
First Published September 16, 2011 12:00 am
