Kansas priest pleads guilty to stealing $160,000 from his parish

Father Richard Storey, a priest of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, pleaded guilty on October 27 to stealing $160,000 from Curé of Ars Catholic Church in Leawood, a town near Kansas City. The archdiocese confirmed the plea in a statement and said it has opened a canonical investigation, along with a separate case file on an additional complaint involving an adult victim.

Storey was charged in May this year and turned himself in to authorities. The archdiocese said he has already repaid the parish $159,362.92 in restitution. He is scheduled to be sentenced in January 2027.

Where the money went

Some of the stolen money reportedly went to cruises and international trips. Investigators also documented at least one cash withdrawal made inside a casino. Tens of thousands of dollars were reportedly spent on travel and personal entertainment.

How the crime is classified

According to the archdiocese, the guilty plea falls under "severity level 7," a felony classified as a "non-person, non-drug felony." The plea agreement includes a recommendation that Storey serve probation and undergo a substance abuse evaluation while under court supervision.

The canonical process

The audit committee of the archdiocesan finance council will review the findings of the investigation. The committee will then pass its analysis to the archdiocese's promoter of justice, who will recommend possible canonical actions to Archbishop Shawn McKnight. The archbishop "will share the results of the investigation with Curé of Ars parish and communicate his conclusions to the faithful," the statement said.

The canonical investigation will not be limited to the theft. The archdiocese said it will also cover the complaint involving an adult victim.