Self-Proclaimed Catholic Priest Facing Felony Charges in Knox County

WGIL
March 24, 2012

http://www.wgil.com/localnews.php?xnewsaction=fullnews&newsarch=032012&newsid=227

A self-proclaimed Catholic priest and former owner of a Galesburg church is facing seven felony charges in Knox County.

According to Assistant States Attorney Erik Gibson, Reverend Ryan St. Anne Scott was arrested in St. Louis County last week on a Knox County warrant. The warrant charges the former Holy Rosary Abbey owner with three counts of financial exploitation of an elderly person, three counts of theft, and one count of deceptive practices.

The Catholic Archdiocese of Peoria has previously disassociated themselves from Scott and his teachings.

Gibson says Scott allegedly obtained accounts and other personal finance documentation illegally from an older woman in Galesburg between 2009 and 2011. He says the priest is accused of making it a habit to borrow money across the midwest region and bounce around to other cities. Earlier this month, Gibson says, Scott was targeted by federal bankruptcy authorities in the Cedar Falls area.

The Knox County Sheriffs Department is extraditing Scott from the St. Louis County Jail Monday. He's scheduled to be in court Tuesday via video teleconference, and will remain in Knox County Jail on $75,000 dollars bond.