Former Parish Manager's Fraud Sentencing Postponed

TROY, MI – The sentencing of the former manager of the St. Thomas More Catholic Church, who pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges in October, has been pushed back.

Janice Vershuren was to have been sentenced Thursday, but will now learn her fate on Feb. 1 in U.S. District Court, The Oakland Press reports.

Vershuren avoided more serious charges in a scheme to hide more than $500,000 from the church when she accepted the plea agreement. In it, she admitted she had kept her ex-husband on health and dental insurance plans.

Catch Up

• Archdiocese Investigates Mishandled Funds at Troy Catholic Church
• Supporters of Embattled Troy Priest Push for His Return
• Troy Priest Sues City for Access To Frozen Assets
• Priest, Former Parish Manager Indicted in Alleged Theft of Church Funds
• Former Troy Church Manager Pleads Guilty in Embezzlement
• Dozens Seek Mercy for Disgraced Priest
• Embezzling Troy Priest Gets Prison Time

When she is sentenced, she could spend up to six months in jail. According to her plea agreement, Vershuren agreed to make restitution to the church in the amount of $25,982 — the amount of the premiums for the fraudulently obtained insurance — prior to her sentencing.

Belczak, the priest at St. Thomas More for 30 years, was sentenced last month to 27 months in prison after pleading guilty to fraud. Dozens of parishioners, prominent business owners, relatives and friends had asked U.S. District Judge Arthur Tarnow to show mercy, and Belczak testified at his sentencing hearing that he had suicidal thoughts because of the humiliation.

Belczak was removed as pastor of St. Thomas More in January 2013 by the Archdiocese of Detroit after discovering financial irregularities. When he was charged with federal crimes in 2014, Detroit Archbishop Allen Vigneron banned him from conducting public church services or working publicly as a priest.