Two teenagers pleaded guilty Dec. 16 to having joined two other youths in vandalizing St. Pius Tenth Church, 3010 Chili Ave., Chili.
According to Monroe County Assistant District Attorney Sonal Rana, Richard A. DeCarolis and Michael C. Street, both of Chili, each pleaded guilty to one felony charge of second-degree criminal mischief in connection with the June 29, 2005, vandalism at St. Pius.
Rana said the teenagers are slated to be sentenced Feb. 3 to five years of probation and five weekends in Monroe County Jail; they also will be ordered to pay restitution. Acting Monroe County Court Judge Stephen K. Lindley agreed to grant youthful-offender status to both, which will seal their criminal records, Rana said. She added that DeCarolis and Street will be required to write letters of apology to St. Pius.
On June 29, vandals defiled holy water; broke into the sacristy; ripped open several rolls of Communion wafers and threw them about; damaged the baptismal font, door frames, a chalice and a painting; discharged fire extinguishers; burned the carpet with cigarettes; made skid marks on the carpet with bicycles; and smashed bottles of Communion wine against a wall, according to Cpl. John Helfer of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
In connection with the incident, the sheriff’s office said it had arrested four Chili teenagers — Dan Seklar, then 18; DeCarolis, then 17; Street, then 16; and a 15-year-old whose name was withheld.
Seklar previously pleaded guilty to the same charge as DeCarolis and Street, and he received an identical sentence. Rana said the three will share in paying $30,915 in restitution. The restitution will go to the insurance company that covers St. Pius, according to Robert Aman, facilities director at the church.
The case of the fourth defendant was slated to be heard in Family Court, Rana said.
