Church looted, safe drilled in brazen PA burglary spree
Saint Clair Township, PA — A 30-year-old Seward man faces a slate of charges after Pennsylvania State Police say he broke into multiple Saint Clair Township businesses and a church,…
Saint Clair Township, PA — A 30-year-old Seward man faces a slate of charges after Pennsylvania State Police say he broke into multiple Saint Clair Township businesses and a church,…
PROVIDENCE, RI – A North Providence man has been sentenced to more than six years in federal prison after pleading guilty to setting fires outside a predominantly Black church and…
NEWARK, N.J. — More than 200 couples celebrating 50, 25, and five years of marriage were recognized during a special Wedding Anniversary Mass held June 1 at the Cathedral Basilica…
MORRISTOWN, N.J. — A former parish bookkeeper admitted in court to stealing nearly $293,000 from two Morris County churches over a six-year period, prosecutors said. Melissa Rivera, 60, of Haskell,…
NORTH ARLINGTON, N.J. — Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., Archbishop of Newark, led a Memorial Day Mass on Monday at Holy Cross Cemetery to honor U.S. military personnel who died…
TOMS RIVER, N.J. — Emergency personnel responded Saturday evening to a pedestrian struck by a vehicle in front of St. Joseph’s Church on Hooper Avenue, prompting a road closure and…
MILLVILLE, N.J. — A man died Saturday night after being shot and crashing his vehicle on the 900 block of Church Street, prompting a joint homicide investigation by local and…
JACKSON TOWNSHIP, NJ — A reported bomb threat at St. Al’s Church and its adjacent school on Monday led to a full evacuation of the property by Jackson Township police.…
QUEENS, NY — A part-time church employee who coordinated altar servers at a Queens parish was arrested earlier this month after an abuse allegation was reported to the Diocese of…
ORANGE, N.J. — A federal grand jury has indicted two church leaders from Orange, New Jersey, on charges of sex trafficking, forced labor, and conspiracy, following a years-long investigation into…
Two men died Tuesday morning in a tragic accident involving a power line while performing work on the roof of a church in Prince George’s County, according to police. The…
SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y. — A Florida woman and former church bookkeeper has been indicted on grand larceny charges after prosecutors say she embezzled approximately $80,000 from a Selden church for…
The recent passing of the pope has left the Catholic Church at a pivotal moment. With over 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide, the selection of the next pontiff is not merely…
Christ Lutheran Church celebrates 100 years of faith, community, and service in Great Kills STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — On a record-warm March morning, Christ Lutheran Church in Great Kills was…
Key Points: MORRISTOWN, N.J. — A former church bookkeeper has been charged with stealing nearly $300,000 from two Roman Catholic parishes in Morris County over a six-year period, authorities announced…
HAYMARKET, Va. — A Virginia man was convicted Thursday of attempting to obstruct a church congregation’s religious practices through a violent attack, federal prosecutors announced. After a four-day trial, a…
HIGHLAND PARK, N.J. — The jig is up for a New Jersey church that has received tens of millions of dollars in U.S. AID relief money to help illegal aliens…
HIGHLAND PARK, N.J. — A New Jersey church that received $18 million in federal aid to resettle migrants is now struggling after its funding was cut off, leaving its programs…
NEWARK, N.J. — Authorities are asking for the public’s help in identifying a man suspected of stealing toolboxes from a church on January 17, 2025, Newark Public Safety Director Emanuel…
PHILADELPHIA, PA — Police are searching for a suspect involved in a burglary at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Center City, where a valuable religious artifact was stolen…
Man Arrested for Arson at Cumberland Church
**Cumberland, MD** – A man has been arrested in connection with the deliberate burning of a tree at Radiant Life Church located on Park Street in Cumberland. Dalton Richard Eugene Gates, 32, was identified as the suspect after an investigation that utilized both surveillance footage and a fortuitous discovery on Facebook.
The incident occurred on December 9, just after 5:00 p.m., when a tree was found on fire at the church. The City of Cumberland Fire Department responded quickly to extinguish the blaze. The investigation, led by the Cumberland Fire Marshal’s Office, determined the fire was intentional and sought the help of the Office of the State Fire Marshal.
The investigation gained significant traction when Deputy State Fire Marshal Adam Rounds recognized the suspect’s image on the BCFP Reality News Facebook page. This discovery enabled collaboration with local authorities, including the Pennsylvania State Police and Bedford Borough Police, ultimately identifying and locating Gates.
Gates was apprehended on Thursday by the Pennsylvania State Police and is currently in custody at Bedford County Correctional Facility, awaiting extradition. He faces charges of malicious destruction of property and second-degree malicious burning.
ALLEGANY COUNTY, Md. — A 32-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the intentional burning of a tree at Radiant Life Church in Cumberland, Maryland, following an investigation that…
NEW YORK — Police are searching for a 21-year-old man in connection with the theft of a gold-plated metal rose from the 9/11 Memorial inside the Church of St. Francis…
POINT PLEASANT BEACH, NJ — A Toms River man was arrested Sunday morning after allegedly dropping a gun inside a church and falsely claiming to be a law enforcement officer,…
Priest Pleads Guilty to Felony Theft of Church Donations
**HARRISBURG, PA** – Attorney General Michelle Henry announced that George Athanasiou, a Washington County-based priest, has pleaded guilty to felony theft. Athanasiou was charged with misappropriating hundreds of church donation checks, which he signed and deposited via ATM transactions for personal use.
Athanasiou, 37, served as a priest at All Saints Greek Orthodox Church in Canonsburg when he illicitly signed, endorsed, and deposited the checks. On Wednesday, he appeared in Washington County Court and paid $155,000 in restitution. His sentencing is scheduled for February 18, 2025.
The investigation by the Office of Attorney General revealed over 200 unauthorized ATM transactions involving the church’s donation checks from 2022 to 2023. Video evidence demonstrated Athanasiou endorsing and depositing these checks via ATM. During a police interview, the priest admitted to stealing and endorsing checks without permission.
Attorney General Henry condemned the actions, emphasizing that the priest betrayed parishioners by stealing funds meant for the church community. The case is being prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Evan Lowry.