Prosecutors seek restitution from Armstrong

The legal troubles for a former Episcopal priest who pleaded no contest to a charge of embezzling $400,000 from his parish are not over. The local DA is seeking restitution for the costs of prosecution.

Denverpost.com published an AP report:

Prosecutors say they are seeking about $291,000 in restitution from the pastor of a dissident Anglican church.

Don Armstrong of St. George's Anglican Church in Colorado Springs previously led Grace Episcopal Church and St. Stephen's Parish but left the Episcopal Diocese of Colorado in 2007 after allegations of financial misconduct surfaced.

He was accused of stealing about $400,000 from his former church to fund his children's education. Armstrong has said it was a bookkeeping issue and that no money disappeared.

He pleaded no contest to felony theft in September and entered an Alford plea to a misdemeanor theft count, acknowledging a jury might convict him. He and his new church still say he's innocent.

Sentencing is set for February.

Posted by Andrew Gerns on December 17, 2010 10:30 AM | |
Comments (1)

It never ceases to amaze me that people who admit to wrong doing, however they couch the admission, continue to insist on their innocence. Wouldn't it be refreshing if folk would live up to their avowed Christianity by just admitting their guilt and taking the consequences of their actions.

If indeed we are called to account at the end of our lives, and I believe that we are, I wonder how that ploy will work then?

Posted by Reid Morgan [TypeKey Profile Page] | December 17, 2010 11:33 AM

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