Priest admits to stealing for mistress

ORANGE PARK, Fla., Dec. 31 (UPI) -- A former priest accused of swindling thousands of dollars from a Florida church has pleaded guilty, the Times-Union reported Wednesday.

Moises B. Palaroan, 53, pled guilt Tuesday and agreed to a one-year jail sentence as well as paying back the money he took from St. William Catholic Church in Keystone Heights.

A routine audit this year found more than $400,000 missing. The Diocese of St. Augustine contacted state authorities, who discovered a lump sum had been sent to Palaroan's mistress and children in the Philippines, Assistant State Attorney Steve Siegel said.

The former pastor, who led a double life, agreed to give up his priesthood.

If the case had gone to trial the priest could have faced as much as 30 years in jail. Besides jail time, Palaroan will have 17 years of probation, Siegel said.