Priest Pleads Guilty to Three Theft Counts, by Tom Quigley, PennLive, April 11, 2008

Priest Pleads Guilty to Three Theft Counts

By Tom Quigley
PennLive
April 11, 2008

http://blog.pennlive.com/lvbreakingnews/2008/04/tom_quigley.html

The Rev. Robert Ascolese - known to his former parishioners in Washington as Father Bob - pleaded guilty today to three counts of theft.

Ascolese, 46, admitted to stealing money from the church raffle and two corporate charity programs to help keep the financially ailing parish afloat.

The Rev. Robert Ascolese, known as "Father Bob," a former pastor of St. Joseph's Church in Washington Borough, is sworn in to speak during his guilty plea this afternoon in Warren County Courthouse in Belvidere.
Photo by Ken White

Warren County Assistant Prosecutor Craig Barto said the priest doubled his money in one instance by setting up a scam to obtain money from a Johnson & Johnson charitable fund.

"Albeit for good purposes," Barto said.

The plea bargain calls for a maximum three-year state prison sentence, but Ascolese will be admitted to the state's Intensive Supervision Program. He is expected to serve little or no time in jail.