Patricia Ann Stanz blames gambling addiction

Ex-Gesu worker admits embezzlement

Patricia Ann Stanz blames gambling addiction

BY ERICA BLAKE
BLADE STAFF WRITER

Patricia Ann Stanz tries to shield her face as she leaves U.S. District Court in Toledo. THE BLADE

A tearful Patricia Ann Stanz admitted in federal court Wednesday that a gambling addiction prompted her to steal from Gesu Roman Catholic Church more than $525,000 which she had been entrusted to oversee.

The former business manager for the West Toledo parish pleaded guilty to criminal charges in U.S. District Court in Toledo.

Stanz, 61, who said the thefts occurred over a three-year period, acknowledged guilt for one count each of counterfeit securities and of fraudulent use of access device.

She will be sentenced Jan. 14 by Judge James Carr.
Assistant U. S. Attorney Tom Karol said in court Stanz had "total control of the church's books and financial records."

"This was one of those crimes fueled by the vice of gambling and a gambling addiction," he told Magistrate Judge James Knepp II.

In particular, Mr. Karol said that between June, 2008, and February, 2011, Stanz generated nearly 100 unauthorized checks totaling $295,000 that were drawn from the parish checking account.

She did this by using her own name as one of the two required signatures and a rubber signature stamp as the other, Mr. Karol said.

Of those checks, Stanz wrote about $250,000 worth to herself, about $15,000 to petty cash, which she cashed, and about $25,000 to an engineering company owned by her husband, Mr. Karol said.

Either she or her husband would cash the checks, but her husband was told that the checks were made out to the company for "reasons other than fraud," Mr. Karol said.

Stanz also pleaded guilty to using a credit card that had been issued to Gesu Parish for her own expenses, primarily cash advances.

Mr. Karol said that between September, 2008, and August, 2011, Stanz fraudulently obtained about $200,000 in cash advances, which accrued about $7,800 in fees, as well as used the card for personal expenditures on 280 occasions for a total of about $18,000 in purchases.

Restitution would be required as part of the sentence.

Although the charges carry a combined maximum sentence of 25 years in prison, a preliminary assessment of sentencing guidelines indicate that Stanz would face between 30 and 37 months in prison, Mr. Karol said.

Attorney Andrew Hart, who was appointed to represent Stanz, said the defense is still looking at the information to determine restitution.

Mr. Hart told Judge Knepp that although Stanz was pleading guilty to the charges, she was not necessarily agreeing to the amount of restitution.

Stanz was tearful as she left the courtroom.

She declined to comment on the case, as did her attorney.

Also declining to comment were members of the parish who attended the court hearing.

Judge Knepp continued the $10,000 unsecured bond, including conditions that Stanz stay away from any legal or illegal gambling as well as have no contact with any gambling establishments or individuals associated with gambling.

http://www.toledoblade.com/Courts/2012/09/06/Ex-Gesu-worker-admits-embezzlement.html

Note: There is no mention of her source of Gambling Addiction. There is no indication that those
funds will be recovered from the Gambling Facility.