Former Troy Church Manager Pleads Guilty in Embezzlement

The former manager of a Catholic parish in Troy pleaded guilty to fraud Tuesday, avoiding more serious charges in an alleged scheme to hide more than $500,00 from the St. Thomas More Church in Troy

By accepting the plea, Janice Verschuren could avoid prison term when she is sentenced by U.S. District Judge Arthur Tarnow on Oct. 26, The Detroit News reports.

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In the court proceeding, Verschuren agreed to keeping her divorced husband on the church’s health insurance at a cost of $26,000 to the parish.

She originally had been charged with a more serious charge of fraud and conspiracy involving her boss, the Rev. Ed Belczak, who pleaded guilty last month to mail fraud and agreed to forfeit a luxury condominium in Florida that he bought from Verschuren with church money.

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He will be sentenced Dec. 1. Guidelines call for a prison term of 33 to 41 months, but the charge carries a 20-year prison term and/or a $250,000 fine.according to the Detroit Free Press.

He claimed during his plea that he thought some of the donations to the church were intended for him. Tarnow responded with a sharp rebuff.

“As a hint, between now and the time of sentencing, you better reflect on what you did because I’m hearing a lot of justification,” the judge said, telling the priest he should “reflect on how many people you disappointed and hurt.”

Belczak was removed by the Archdiocese of Detroit as the pastor of the St. Thomas More Church in January 2013. He has been receiving his $30,000 salary, plus health-care coverage, since because he hasn’t gone through an internal Catholic church trial, which may be forthcoming and could result in his being removed from the priesthood.