He is facing up to 10 years.
Rev. Ignazio C. Medina, a retired Catholic priest formerly serving at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church in Wardsville, Missouri, has pleaded guilty to charges of embezzling $300,000 from the church. The theft occurred during his tenure as pastor from 2013 to 2021. Medina admitted in court to transferring $100,000 from the church’s bank account to his sister and appropriating an additional $200,000 for personal use. He claimed these funds were intended for his discretionary use rather than for parish purposes, contrary to donors’ intentions as confirmed by checks deposited into the account.
The investigation revealed that donors had specifically designated their contributions for parish activities, including a donation intended for the school in memory of a deceased friend. Medina’s defense that the money was meant as refunds to donors, with his sister allegedly among them seeking repayment, was refuted when his sister clarified the money was for their mother’s care.
Medina faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, pending a presentence investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Kummerer and investigated by the FBI.
In response to the embezzlement, the Catholic Diocese of Jefferson City, which oversees St. Stanislaus, initiated internal accounting procedures that identified the missing funds. They promptly reported the discrepancies to law enforcement. As a consequence of his actions, Medina is permanently prohibited from holding ecclesiastical office, hearing confessions, or celebrating Mass without permission from Bishop W. Shawn McKnight.
The diocese refrained from further comment to respect the ongoing judicial process.