PITTSBURGH — The former dean of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral has pleaded guilty to a retail theft charge stemming from the theft of baseball cards from a Walmart, but questions remain surrounding dozens of church artifacts reported missing from the cathedral.
The Rev. Aidan Smith, who previously served as dean of the downtown Pittsburgh cathedral, pleaded guilty to one count of retail theft related to an incident at a Walmart in Economy Borough, Beaver County, according to KDKA-TV. The charge was reduced from a felony to a summary offense, and Smith paid a $201 fine.
Smith was arrested in February after authorities accused him of stealing hundreds of dollars’ worth of baseball cards from the store.
In March, Smith resigned from his position after cathedral officials said they discovered he had taken and attempted to sell dozens of cathedral-owned artifacts, including chalices, communion plates, and silver crosses, on eBay, according to KDKA-TV.
Cathedral representatives later went to Smith’s home in Ambridge and recovered 91 missing artifacts.
“Others could not be recovered because they had already been sold,” Cathedral Communications Director Andrew Muhl told KDKA-TV.
The matter involving the missing artifacts remains under investigation through an internal Episcopal Church disciplinary process. The review board includes representatives from five Episcopal dioceses and has the authority to impose a range of sanctions.
Although Smith resigned as dean, he remains an Episcopal priest.
According to cathedral officials, if the disciplinary board determines Smith improperly took and sold church property, he could face removal from the priesthood. The matter could also be referred to law enforcement for potential criminal prosecution.
Smith declined to comment through his attorney, KDKA-TV reported.
Muhl told KDKA-TV that cathedral officials expect a decision from the disciplinary board in the near future. In the meantime, Smith is prohibited from entering the cathedral.