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	Morris County Pastor Admits Tax Evasion, Diverting $63k from Parish Funds By Joe Ryan The Star-Ledger November 4, 2010 http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/11/morris_county_pastor_admits_63.html MORRIS COUNTY — With his penchant for travel and gift giving, Monsignor Patrick Brown drew attention for a lifestyle that, to some, seemed larger than the modest stipend he earned from St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Morris County. The 59-year-old pastor vacationed in Vail, Colo., Hawaii and Ireland. And he shopped frequently enough at a jewelry store in Morristown that when authorities began investigating the priest's finances last year, FBI agents subpoenaed the shop's sales records. More than 17 months after that probe began, Brown pleaded guilty to tax evasion today before a federal judge in Newark. He said that between 2004 and 2009 he augmented his roughly $30,000-a-year stipend by secretly diverting more than $63,000 from the funds of the parish in Long Hill. He said he never paid taxes on the money, which he acknowledged spending on gifts, vacations and repairs to his lake house. "Was your 2005 federal income tax true?" U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton asked. "No, your honor," Brown said, standing before the judge wearing a black jacket and Roman collar. Under his deal with federal prosecutors, Brown faces between 10 and 16 months in prison, said Lee Vartan, an assistant U.S. attorney. Judges, however, are not bound by such terms, and the Brown's agreement allows him to argue for less time. "No matter what your station, it is unacceptable to help yourself to other people's money and violate their trust. If you commit a crime, status as a religious leader will not protect you from federal prosecution," said U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman. The admission marked a sharp fall for Brown, a prodigious fundraiser who has sat on at least 11 charitable boards and helped raise untold sums for inner-city Catholic schools in Passaic and Paterson. He resigned today as pastor of St. Vincent de Paul, which he led 18 years. At his request, Brown will be reassigned to a parish in a poor section of Paterson to work until his sentencing, scheduled for Feb. 9. "To the great number of people who respect Monsignor Brown and hold him in high esteem for his many good works, this admission brings sorrow and pain," said Richard Sokerka, a spokesman for the Diocese of Paterson. Brown's guilty plea comes roughly four-and-a-half years after Rev. Joseph W. Hughes admitted stealing $2 million from Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church in Rumson. Charles Zech, a Villanova University economics professor who specializes in church finance, said it is a common problem for religious institutions of all faiths. Too often, he said, congregations put sole financial discretion into the hands of spiritual leaders without proper safeguards. "No would think that a pastor would embezzle, so we don't have controls in place like they do in the business world," Zech said. With his ebullient charm, Brown has long been popular among parishioners at St. Vincent, a bustling church with a prosperous congregation. A large stone sits at the doorstep of the rectory, engraved with the words: "Monsignor Brown is rock solid." The priest has also long been a fixture in the halls of Morris County government. He spent 25 years as chaplain of the Morris County jail. He delivered the invocation at virtually every county government reorganization meeting for a decade. Even after news of the FBI probe became public last year, Brown was honored as a "hero" for his work on affordable housing by a subsidiary of the United Way. As he pleaded guilty today, Brown was accompanied not by one, but three lawyers: including Michael Critchley, who is among New Jersey's most prominent criminal defense attorneys. Afterward, they issued a brief statement, saying that aside from personal expenses, Brown used the money he took to help poor families and pay for gifts for parish employees. Standing before the judge, Brown acknowledged diverting the money into two bank accounts he kept hidden from parish and church auditors. In some cases, he spent money from those accounts on legitimate parish expenses. But Brown also said he used it to buy Christmas and birthday gifts for his mother, his siblings and himself. And Brown admitted spending "several thousand" dollars on repairs to his home on Budd Lake in Morris County. Brown's guilty plea also requires him to pay $12,400 to the IRS. He has already repaid the $63,000 to the parish, said another of his lawyers, John P. Lacey. "Those Americans who file accurate, honest and timely returns need to be reassured that everyone is paying their fair share and the government will hold accountable those who don't," said Victor W. Lessoff, head of the IRS's criminal investigation office in Newark.
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