St. Patrick's Seminary and University worker accused of theft

Morris, of Hayward, pleaded not guilty and is scheduled for a court appearance tomorrow followed by a preliminary hearing April 12. She is free from custody on $200,000 bail. Meanwhile, Vallacqua posted a $10,000 bail bond shortly after her March 28 arrest and will first appear in court April 30 on three counts of felony embezzlement.

Morris worked for St. Patrick's as director of finance beginning in 2004 and supervised Vallacqua. Morris was given a credit card for seminary needs but allegedly instead used her personal card over a six-year span beginning in 2006. She would later reimburse herself from the institutions so she could accumulate airline miles for the purchases, according to prosecutors.

Doing so is not illegal but when St. Patrick's learned of Morris' reimbursement method it launched an audit, said District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe.

The audit reportedly uncovered that Morris had made $166,000 worth of unauthorized personal purchases for which she also reimbursed herself from seminary funds and overpaid herself at least $36,000 in 2011 to 2012, according to prosecutors.

Wagstaffe didn't know what exactly what Morris spent the money on.

Prosecutors also claim Morris stole a 1982 Mercedes Benz that had been donated to St. Patrick's by registering the vehicle in her name and charging the registration and maintenance costs back to the seminary.

Vallacqua helped Morris with the reimbursement and also received severance payments although she never left the seminary's employment, Wagstaffe said.

St. Patrick's Seminary and University services dioceses throughout the western United States and Pacific Rim, preparing students for a life of priesthood in the Roman Catholic Church, according to its website.

The institution did not reply to an inquiry for comment.

michelle@smdailyjournal.com

(650) 344-5200 ext. 102.