<!--Rick Pfeiffer--><table width="234" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" background="http://static.cnhi.zope.net/flashpromo/niagaragazette/images/byline_234x60.jpg" height="60"><tr><td><div align="center"><font size="3" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">By Rick Pfeiffer</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></font><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="mailto:rick.pfeiffer@niagara-gazette.com">rick.pfeiffer@niagara-gazette.com</a></font></div></td></tr></table>
A former Niagara Falls pastor was back in Niagara County Court on Thursday morning, charged with violating the terms of his probation for failing to make restitution to his Cataract City congregation.
Peter DelRio, 49, who was the pastor of the now-closed St. Paul’s United Methodist Church on Seventh Street was arraigned on the parole violation and pleaded not guilty to the charge. He is due back in court in a few weeks, with an attorney.
DelRio, formerly of Wyoming Avenue in the Falls, had been sentenced in December of 2007 to six months in jail, five years probation and a restitution payment of $44,381 for his guilty plea to a charges of fourth-degree grand larceny and one count of first-degree falsifying business records. He could have faced a possible jail term of 1 1/3 to 4 years.
He had originally faced six counts of third-degree grand larceny and two counts of first-degree falsifying a business record after he was indicted by a Niagara County grand jury.
The former cleric admitted that he took funds from his church “without going through proper channels.” Specifically, he was accused of using a church debit card, credit card and checking account to access parish funds.
Prosecutors said DelRio purchased an engagement ring for his wife using a church credit card and paid off a car loan with parish money.
St. Paul’s parish has since closed and the building is now used by another congregation. Neither prosecutors nor DelRio’s defense attorneys could say for sure if the one-time minister’s actions led to the church’s closing.
DelRio has surrendered his clergy orders to the bishop of the United Methodist Church.
In September 2008, DelRio claimed in court that he was having trouble paying the restitution because he couldn’t access money from his pension fund. At that time, prosecutors told DelRio to “get a job and set up a payment schedule.”
