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	Prosecutor: St. Dunstan Priest's Conduct 'Disturbing, Not Criminal' By Ben Schmitt Detroit Free Press December 18, 2007 http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071218/NEWS02/71218029/0/NEWS02 An embattled Garden City priest admitted to investigators that he has a gambling problem and accepted personal donations from parishioners while making numerous trips to casinos and a Caribbean resort that advertises itself as clothing optional, prosecutors said today. Nonetheless, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said there is insufficient evidence to charge Fr. Donald Demmer of St. Dunstan Catholic Church with a crime. Worthy, meanwhile, today announced embezzlement charges against the fired church secretary, Debra Ann Kilyanek, 54, of Garden City. Kilyanek is charged with embezzlement over $100,000 and using a computer to commit a felony. Worthy said Demmer, pastor at St. Dunstan for more than 20 years, made about 200 trips to casinos in Michigan, Nevada and Florida since 2000. He also made trips to the Casino Orient on the island of St. Martin, the clothes optional resort, Worthy said. "He funded his lifestyle in part by multiple donations from parishioners made to him personally," Worthy said. "It is unlikely that the parishioners were aware of how their gifts were used. The conduct of Father Demmer, while disturbing, is not criminal." Additionally, "numerous subscription charges were made to companies providing pornographic Internet services that appear on Father Demmer's bank records." In the spring, the Archdiocese of Detroit conducted an audit of St. Dunstan's books and uncovered a loss of $111,693, Worthy said. Starting in October 2005, Kilyanek begn charging her personal financial transactions to the St. Dunstan checking account, Worthy said. Kilyanek was fired in February and the Archdiocese placed Demmer on medical leave in June. Demmer has denied any wrongdoing. However, Worthy said he was responsible for overseeing the budget. The parish also owes more than $1 million in payroll taxes, Worthy said. Kilyanek was arraigned today in 21st District Court in Garden City and released on a $100,000 personal bond. Regarding Demmer, Worthy said "the Archdiocese has urged us to be candid with the details of the investigation." St. Dunstan parishioner Gregg Ward said he still hopes Demmer returns to the church. "We're a church of forgiveness and redemption," Ward said. "I'm not sure what in the state of Michigan the definition of a gambling problem is." Ward said he's unsure why Worthy released other negative information against Demmer, since he is not charged with a crime. "There's no reason to smear a person, other than the satisfaction to smear a Catholic priest," Ward said. "In the Catholic Church, we have Bingos, we have Vegas nights, there are priests that go to casinos. If people have given their money to him freely, it's not with strings attached. We have three casinos in the city of Detroit."
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