Accused Priest Allowed to Leave the State

WGIL
June 15, 2012

http://www.wgil.com/localnews.php?xnewsaction=fullnews&newsarch=062012&newsid=149

A self-proclaimed priest accused of fraudulently obtaining funds to keep his former Galesburg church afloat is now allowed to leave the state.

Judge Paul Mangieri altered 59-year-old Ryan Saint Anne Scott's terms of bond in Knox County Circuit Court Thursday. Assistant State's Attorney Erik Gibson says his motion to reinstate and increase Scott's bail was denied.

Scott posted ten-percent of a $75,000-dollars bond in March, one week after being extradited from Saint Louis County-- which is where he claims residency. Previous bond terms prevented Scott from leaving Illinois.

He's been charged with three counts of financial exploitation of an elderly person, three counts of theft, and one count of deceptive practices. Gibson alleges Scott borrowed large sums of money from an elder in 2009 and 2010 to keep the Holy Rosary Abbey church in business. Prosecutors contend Scott failed to ever repay those debts.

Also Thursday, Judge Mangieri recused himself from the case-- citing prior interaction with Scott at the civil level. According to Gibson, Judge Scott Shipplett will now oversee the reverend's court proceedings.

Scott-- who's been described by the Peoria Catholic Diocese as a fraudulent priest-- will return to court for a Pre-Trial Conference July second.