by Tom Gallagher
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According to WKTV-Utica, an NBC affiliate:
Father Val, as he was known by many in the community, was actually the chaplain for the Oneida County Sheriff's Department for more than 20 years. A priest for 34 years, he had been assigned to St. Mary's Church in New York Mills for the past 17 years.
In court on Wednesday, Krul said he had completed rehabilitation for stress, anxiety and alcohol in July 2011. He said that between October 2008 and January 2011, he took money from three church bank accounts at First Source Federal Credit Union, accounts made up of money from the parish, some of which included people's bequests, wills, and donations to the church.
Krul said that at one point he made a withdrawal of $46,720.91 for a condominium in Florida for himself.
He was ordered to pay back $87,391.33 in restitution. He said he is selling the condo and liquidating his retirement account for restitution.
Krul is scheduled to be sentenced in Oneida County Court in Utica on March 7, but chose to start serving his jail sentence immediately.
