An Austintown deacon accused of stealing $39,000 in church funds meant for the needy has pleaded guilty and been sentenced.

Fifty-one-year-old Gregory Pflug appeared in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court on Tuesday and pled guilty to theft.

Court officials say Pflug has repaid half of the money and has another 30 days to make final restitution.  

Pflug will not go to jail, instead being required to take part in the prosecutor's theft diversion program for a year.

The charge stems from an incident in which police say Pflug, who is a deacon at the Tabernacle Evangelical Church in Austintown allegedly made ATM withdrawals of over $39,000 worth of money that was supposed to be for needy church members.

Police say Pflug told a senior member of the church that he had no way of repaying the money.

 

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