MILWAUKEE – Greek Orthodox priest James Dokos who pleaded guilty to stealing more than $100,000 from his church had his felony theft conviction reduced to a misdemeanor, on Wednesday, February 22.
A judge in Milwaukee agreed to instate the lesser conviction after the Rev. James Dokos from Chicago satisfied the terms of his yearlong probation, including 40 hours of community service, which he fulfilled by volunteering in a Chicago church, Chicago Tribune reports.
Dokos, 64, will continue to avoid jail time if he pays a $5,000 fine within the next year, officials said.
Wednesday in court, Milwaukee County Judge Jeffrey Conen chastised Dokos for abusing his congregation’s trust.
“This is an extremely serious set of circumstances that a member of the clergy used and embezzled funds … that were to go to the church,” the judge said according to Tribune. “I always have a significant problem with somebody who was in a position of trust, who abuses that position of trust and steals money.”
Father James Dokos pleaded guilty on February 21, 2016, to the charge of stealing more than $100,000 from his Church.
“In court, Dokos told the judge he understood the terms but he did not speak further. He also left court without commenting,” the Tribune reported at that time. The disgraced priest had missed previous court appearances due to health problems according to his lawyers.
Fr. Dokos “was accused of taking the money from a trust fund that was intended to benefit Annunciation Church in Milwaukee and spending it on himself, family members and other church leaders, including cash gifts to a high-ranking church official in Chicago….Dokos was later transferred to Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Glenview but was suspended after he was charged with felony theft in Milwaukee.”
Dokos had agreed to plead guilty to felony theft and prosecutors agreed to reduce the case to a misdemeanor if the priest meets the terms of the agreement.
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