Bogus Priest Holds Mass, Takes Confession and Alms, Police Allege

A man suspected of impersonating a Roman Catholic priest was arrested today on suspicion of swindling thousands of dollars, authorities said.

A felony arrest warrant was issued for Erwin Mena, 59, and served today. Mena was tracked to the 1400 North Academy Road in Elysian Park and taken into custody without incident. He was booked into the Los Angeles Metropolitan Jail, police said.

The Archdiocese of Los Angeles contacted the Los Angeles Police Department on June 4 to report that its parishioners had been defrauded by Mena, police said.

Over several years, Mena visited several Catholic parishes and represented himself as a priest. Mena officiated church ceremonies and solicited donations but ended up keeping the money for himself, police said

The police’s Commercial Crimes Division presented the case to the District Attorney’s Office, which filed counts for falsifying a public document, perjury and multiple counts for grand theft, authorities said.

Mena was arrested after his scheme to sell bogus trips to see Pope Francis last year failed, LAPD Detective Gary Guevara told the Los Angeles Times.

Anyone with information on the case was asked to call Guevara at (213) 486-6630.

City News Service; Photo: pixabay.com