Priest convicted of stealing from churches appeals sentence

RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) — A former Rapid City priest convicted of stealing donations from Catholic churches is appealing his sentence. Marcin Garbacz’s attorney told Eighth Circuit appeals court judges Thursday (Dec. 16, 2021) that the priest was ordered to pay restitution for money that wasn’t necessarily stolen. But the prosecutor, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Koliner, said the priest deposited about $260,000 in cash that couldn’t be otherwise explained. After a weeklong jury trial in early 2020, Garbacz was convicted for stealing from three Catholic churches in Rapid City over several years. The jury found him guilty of 50 counts of wire fraud as well as money laundering, transporting stolen money, and filing false tax returns.