CENTREVILLE, MI -- A Southwest Michigan priest charged with embezzling more than $100,000 in church funds will stand trial.

Richard Fritz's case was scheduled for a preliminary examination Tuesday, June 20, but the case was bound over to St. Joseph County Circuit Court after a pre-exam conference Tuesday, June 13. Future dates in circuit court have not yet been set, according to court staff.

Fritz was arraigned on a felony charge of embezzlement over $100,000 April 24 in district court. Fritz, a priest in the Diocese of Kalamazoo for 35 years, resigned last year following an investigation into inappropriate use of church funds between 2010-2016.

Michigan State Police investigated the case and submitted it to the Branch County Prosecutor's Office in February, requesting that felony embezzlement charges be brought against Fritz. The Branch County Prosecutor's Office then forwarded the case onto the Michigan Attorney General's Office as a Special Prosecuting Attorney Request. It was assigned to St. Joseph County.

St. Joseph County Prosecutor John McDonough has said Fritz is being charged in St. Joseph County because a portion of the activity allegedly happened there.

Michigan State Police Detective Lt. Chuck Christensen told MLive the investigation revealed Fritz had taken more than $100,000 from church funds in the parishes he served.

Fritz was ordained on May 23, 1975, in Lakeport and incardinated to the Diocese of Kalamazoo on November 24, 1981.

He resigned as pastor in October, a day after receiving the forensic audit of both St. Mary's Assumption, Bronson, and St. Barbara, Colon, that detailed questionable financial transactions and practices from 2010-2016.

WOOD TV 8 reported last November that Fritz spend hundreds of dollars a day on Michigan Lottery tickets to the tune of $213,000.