Man gets 10-20 years in prison for $1.2 million theft from Upper St. Clair church

A South Park man who pleaded guilty to stealing more than $1.2 million from a church in Upper St. Clair was sentenced Tuesday to 10 to 20 years in prison and ordered to make restitution to the church.

David Reiter, 50, was the administrator at Westminster Presbyterian Church from 2001 until November 2018, when other church officials discovered the missing money.

The church said its members pray for Reiter and his family, “hoping to see rehabilitation, restitution, and even restoration.” Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Jeffrey Manning issued the sentence.

“Our church continues to rebuild our financial structures in the wake of Mr. Reiter’s actions,” the statement said. “Actions have consequences, and we are grateful to Judge Manning for administering appropriate consequences for Mr. Reiter’s actions.”

Reiter used the money to pay for numerous vacations to Walt Disney World and other amusement parks, Pittsburgh Pirates tickets, music lessons for his children, trips to restaurants, vehicle repairs, scrapbooking supplies, bills and other family expenses, according to a criminal complaint.

When confronted about what happened by the then-pastor of the church, officials said Reiter admitted he had done some “bad things” and said he needed to resign.

He initially told church officials he had stolen about $500,000 over the course of a decade, according to the complaint.

A review of the financial records of the church and Reiter’s own finances by Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office detectives found he’d used more than $1.2 million in church money for his own benefit from December 2011 and November 2018, officials said.

On Nov. 27, 2018, he admitted to church officials he committed the crime and then went to the Upper St. Clair Police Department, where he told police he’d confessed to stealing money and was thinking of hurting himself. He was admitted for a 72-hour hospital stay at St. Clair Hospital.

Reiter was charged in February 2019 and pleaded guilty in October.

Manning also ordered Reiter to pay $1.22 million in restitution to the church.

His wife Connie, 45, is awaiting trial on charges of receiving stolen property and conspiracy, in connection with the thefts. Her trial is set to start Jan. 22.