When Michael Dongarra came to the small Benedictine monastery south of Boston, the 12 brothers there thought he simply wanted to become part of their community.
They never suspected he was hiding from the law by posing as a priest.State and federal authorities descended on the campus of the monastery and Catholic retreat center Thursday to arrest the 51-year-old man wanted in Arizona for stealing valuable church artifacts.
"Michael arrived here in April presenting himself as a candidate for our community," said the Rev. Nicholas Morcone, the abbot at Glastonbury Abbey. "He came through with all the necessary recommendations."
Dongarra allegedly has posed as an Anglican priest in the past, using the position to rack up more than $1 million over 12 years through theft and fraud schemes. He owned a $600,000 house in Oro Valley, Ariz.
He was arrested by Oro Valley police in April 1996 after a yearlong investigation and accused of stealing religious items from out-of-state churches, said police spokeswoman Becky Mendez.
According to Oro Valley police detective Buddy Novak, Dongarra filed a burglary report and insurance claim in December 1995.
When police searched his home in April 1996, they found $90,000 worth of religious articles, including a silver-and-gold 19th century German-Gothic altar adornment worth about $36,000, police said.
Having fled before his trial, Dongarra was tried in absentia on some of the charges earlier this year and was found guilty. More charges are pending.