The Black Collar Crime Series relies on public news stories and publicly available information for its content. If any incorrect information is found, please contact Bruce Gerencser. Nothing in this post should be construed as an accusation of guilt. Those accused of crimes are innocent until proven guilty.
William Damroth, the pastor of St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta Parish in Newburg, New York, pleaded guilty to second-degree grand larceny and will pay the church $300,000 in restitution.
The Hudson Valley Times reports:
Father William Damroth pleaded guilty to second-degree grand larceny charges on Dec. 17, and will pay $300,000 in restitution to St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta Parish in Newburgh. Damroth is scheduled to appear in court for sentencing on March 18, 2025.
The case stemmed from an investigation that began in the summer of 2022 when the Archdiocese of New York conducted an audit and discovered financial discrepancies at the parish. Damroth, who served as pastor of St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta, which included Saint Francis and Sacred Heart churches in Newburgh, was transferred to Immaculate Conception Parish in Port Jervis that same summer.
Following news of the investigation, parishioners were informed by letters sent out by the archdiocese. Damroth stepped away from his duties during the investigation, which led to grand larceny charges in December 2023.
Damroth’s case is being handled in Orange County Court, with his next appearance scheduled before Judge Craig Brown. His defense attorney, Joseph Gulino confirmed the plea and explained that prosecutors had recommended five years of probation. However, Judge Brown imposed a split sentence: six months in Orange County Jail, followed by five years of probation.
A split sentence, also known as shock probation, involves serving part of the sentence in jail and the remainder on probation.
Gulino stated he plans to argue for straight probation at sentencing, citing mitigating circumstances, but withheld further details until then. He also clarified that the $300,000 restitution would cover all allegations against Damroth. Gulino did not provide specifics on how the funds were used, if at all.
Bruce Gerencser, 67, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 46 years. He and his wife have six grown children and sixteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.
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We had a pastor of a parish in Huber Heights go to prison several years ago after he embezzled parish money to buy property on the north side of Dayton, Fr. Earl Simone. It is amazing how many parishes fail to adopt basic financial controls.
And yet he hasn’t (as far as I can tell) been laicised. I presume he’s been suspended a divinis which means his dioscese or order doesn’t have to pay for him anymore.