Eideard

A central California man has been arrested for possession of child pornography, thanks to a tip from burglars who robbed the man’s property…

Last month, a juvenile and a 19-year-old illegally accessed the property of Kraig Stockard, 54, of Delhi, California, according to a statement from Deputy Tom MacKenzie of the Merced County Sheriff’s Department. They broke into Stockard’s barn and stole approximately 50 CDs they believed were blank…

…When they began putting the discs into their computer, they discovered that some of them contained pornographic images of children, the statement said. Despite having obtained the CDs under decidedly shady circumstances, the pair decided to report Stockard to the police.

A search warrant was served and three more computers and three laptops were taken from Stockard’s home, along with several external hard drives. Police said there were thousands of pictures and movies on the CDs — more than 30 of the 50 discs had child pornography on them…

The two burglar suspects who reported Stockard have not been arrested.

Their case has been sent to the Merced County District Attorney’s Office for review. When reached for comment, a press officer told CNN the office could not comment on the case because one of the informants in question is a juvenile.

Local authorities have made it pretty clear the burglars won’t be prosecuted. Their info led to an arrest for child porn. On balance, they did folks more good than harm. This time.

A Connecticut priest with a reputation of caring for the poor has shocked his parishioners after being accused of faking a terminal illness to cover up the alleged theft of $1 million from his diocese.

The Rev. Kevin Gray, a 26-year veteran of the Hartford Catholic Diocese, is being investigated by the Waterbury, Conn., police department for allegedly taking money over a seven-year period from a savings fund established for the Sacred Heart parish, money that was to be used for building renovations and church debt, according to the police…

According to Rev. John Gatzak, spokesman, the Hartford Archdiocese became suspicious over the past year as they asked Gray to submit several years’ worth of annual financial reviews from his parish. Gray allegedly said he was unable to complete the reviews because of a serious terminal illness he was battling and asked for more time. Gatzak said that although they gave Gray some leeway and extra time to submit his reports, they began to look at his parish financial records and say they made some troubling discoveries…

Gatzak, 64, said the news has been ever more painful for the parish and it’s parishioners because of the fact that they believed Gray was battling a serious illness, an illness they now believe may have simply been a lie to try and give the priest more time to allegedly cover up the lost funds.

“We are now questioning whether or not he was telling the truth regarding his illness. We don’t know yet,” Gatzak said.

Gatzak said he visited with people outside the church after the 6 p.m. mass, finding them in tears over the news, and full of stories about a priest they loved and admired.

“People telling me how he visited their mother when she was in the hospital, saying he was right there when their grandfather dies. In crisis times, times of need he was there. These are the things people remember and love about him,” Gatzak said.

The inevitable mix of hypocrisy and deceit, gullibility and ignorant trust. The first two couldn’t survive without the latter pair.

If it weren’t for other nations, other cultures, demonstrating that human beings can acquire more education and understanding – I’d wonder if our species isn’t permanently shrouded by the cloud of superstition.

Catch me if you can!

Authorities in California said they arrested a UPS employee accused of stealing $40,000 worth of packages from a distribution center.

Fairfield Police Department Major Crimes Unit detectives said Ronald Lozano, 38, who has worked for UPS for 16 years, had been taking packages including computers, cellphones, iPods and video game systems from the Fairfield distribution center where he was stationed since April, KVOR-TV, Sacramento, reported Friday.

Police said they found $8,000 worth of stolen items from the packages in the suspect’s home.

Lozano, who was placed on leave pending termination after his Wednesday arrest, was charged with embezzlement, possession of stolen property, and grand theft. He was released from the Solano County Jail on $10,000 bail.

People don’t often dramatically change their behavior – absent heavy duty forces. Has this guy been stealing for 16 years and was never caught because only now has he landed in a facility with better security? Or did he just decide to take up theft – after his transfer?

BTW – what’s missing from my neck of the prairie this holiday season is the usual shark or two who follows UPS trucks around while they deliver – stealing parcels left when no one was home to receive them.

The former pastor of a prominent North Shore Episcopal church stands accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars from his parish to pay for plastic surgery and Botox injections, as well as prescription drugs.

The Rev. William Blasingame, 66, who resigned in January as pastor of historic St. Paul’s Memorial Episcopal Church, Stapleton, stole a total of $84,537 over the three years starting in January 2005, authorities contend.

He could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted at trial of the two felonies with which he is charged, second-degree grand larceny and second-degree criminal possession of stolen property.

Father Blasingame manipulated the church’s bank accounts to pocket money from two funds, authorities allege — the Friends of St. Paul’s foundation, which was established to fund the maintenance, upkeep and beautification of the church grounds, and a discretionary fund he oversaw that was meant to provide small stipends to parishioners in need…

Father Blasingame used the money to pay for club memberships, plastic surgery, Botox injections, car insurance for his personal vehicle and expensive clothes, a law enforcement source said.

A man of the people, surely. Just the wrong people.