Indictment: Sioux Falls priest embezzled $95,000 from parish

A Sioux Falls priest has been indicted on charges he embezzled thousands of dollars from a local parish.

David Anthony Desmond was indicted last week by a Minnehaha County grand jury on one count of grand theft embezzlement for an unspecified amount between $5,000 to $100,000, a Class 4 felony.

The indictment alleges the money was embezzled from St. Mary parish in Sioux Falls. Desmond is listed as a reverend on the Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls website.

A statement from the Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls sent to parishioners says Desmond resigned his pastorate after “being confronted over his inattentiveness to pastoral responsibilities."

He was placed on leave in July 2019. He has been supported financially by the diocese since, "in accord with Diocesan policy."

The diocese finance office conducted a review of financial records and discovered about $95,400 in “questionable parish disbursements.”

The irregularities included questionable bank disbursements and altered or duplicated receipts when submitting for reimbursements, according to the statement.

The parish has insurance for employee dishonesty, the statement said, and the parish has filed a claim for losses.

“Please pray for Father Desmond, for the faithful of Saint Mary parish during this early Lent, and for those in government who defend the rights and responsibilities of our representative republic and our personal rights,” Rev. Paul Swain said in the statement.

Email reporter Danielle Ferguson at dbferguson@argusleader.com, or follow on Twitter at @DaniFergs.