A Mid-Michigan priest has been placed on administrative leave due to a pending embezzlement investigation.
Father Jonathan W. Wehrle from St. Martha Parish in Okemos was placed on leave when an outside audit led to the discovery of evidence leading to a ‘possible significant embezzlement’ case.
Father Michael Murray will serve as temporary administrator while Wehrle is on administrative leave.
Wehrle planned to retire at the end of June.
Neighbors in the area say they church has always been welcoming, even to those not catholic.
Wehrle lives in a million dollar home near Williamston.
Michigan State Police are investigating the case and say the diocese came forward with their findings about three to four weeks ago.
It’ll take some time before the full report is complete.
"It's voluminous, a lot of documents have to be gone through,” said Lt. Thomas Declercq, Special Investigation Section from Michigan State Police. “We are being assisted by the Lansing Diocese with an auditing firm so it makes things a little easier with this but we have a lot of documents to go through."
Once MSP finishes their investigation, they’ll forward a report to the Ingham County Prosecutors Office. The Prosecutors Office will determine if any charges will be filed.
This is one of three current embezzlement cases involving churches.
Reverend David Fisher at Saint Joseph's in Owosso is charged with stealing around $450,000 and Reverend Richard Fritz is charged with stealing more than $100,000 from Saint Barbara's and Saint Mary's of Assumption in Saint Joseph County.
