Former Mount Carmel worker pleads to stealing $97K

WARREN

The former maintenance supervisor at Mount Carmel Church in Niles pleaded guilty Wednesday to grand theft for stealing $97,000 from the church between 2007 and 2014.

Michael Marrara, 59, of Sayers Avenue in Niles, is also likely to lose his job as a sewer maintenance employee for the city of Niles.

Marrara entered his plea in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court before Judge W. Wyatt McKay. He will be sentenced in about five weeks, after the county’s Adult Probation Department conducts a presentence investigation.

Marrara could get up to 18 months in prison, and Chris Becker, assistant county prosecutor, said he will ask Judge McKay to impose prison time. Becker said he will also ask Judge McKay to order Marrara pay back the stolen money.

Father John-Michael Lavelle said in early 2014 that he discovered within the first two weeks of his arrival at the parish in June 2012 that Marrara purchased about $22 worth of pool chemicals on the church credit card even though the church doesn’t have a pool.

When the pastor asked him about it, Marrara said he had meant to pay back the church for the chemicals but forgot.

But the pastor learned from the previous pastor that Marrara had admitted taking $9,300 from the church earlier and had promised to pay it back. But Marrara had made only two $300 payments, then stopped paying in 2011.

Read more about the case in Thursday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.