Investigators found more than $60,000 cash hidden in the home of a priest charged with embezzling money from his church.
The Michigan State Police executed a second search warrant on Jonathan Wehrle's home in Williamston on Tuesday. He was the longtime priest at St. Martha Parish in Okemos.
Detectives discovered $63,392, in cash hidden above ceiling tiles in the basement. "A majority of the cash seized was in $2,000 bundles of $20 bills with paper cash bands that were stamped: For Deposit Only- St. Martha Parish and School," police said in a news release.
Wehrle, 67, was in the house during the search, police said. Other evidence related to the investigation was also seized. The MSP says the it executed the second search after information was developed by detectives from the Lansing Police Department.
Wehrle is accused of stealing at least $5 million dollars from the church, using the money to build his million dollar home. The MSP says $1,107,445 has been seized from Wehrle so far in an attempt to recover funds.
Wehrle is charged with six counts of embezzlement over $100,000 or more. He is due in circuit court for a pretrial conference on August 2.
