Crime & Safety

Elmhurst Man Sentenced to Three Years for Stealing from Messiah Lutheran

Robert Drefs was the church treasurer when he stole more than $54,000; said he heard voices telling him to steal.

The Elmhurst man who stole more than $54,000 from Elmhurst Messiah Lutheran Church, 130 W. Butterfield Road, was sentenced to three years in prison Friday.

, 54, 107 E. Wilson St., will be required to serve 50 percent of his sentence before being eligible for parole.

From July 25, 2008, through May 31, 2010, while volunteering as treasurer at the church, Drefs wrote himself unauthorized checks from a church bank account. He also wrote checks to a defunct company, which still had an active bank account Drefs had access to. Drefs would then withdraw money from the account for his own personal use. His scheme was uncovered when the church found discrepancies in their books following an internal audit.

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At a sentencing hearing on Tuesday, a witness said this was not the first time Drefs had stolen large sums of money. As treasurer of a boating advocacy organization, he reportedly took about $37,000 over a nearly 10-year span.

Drefs was indicted on the Elmhurst charges on March 15, 2011. Last month, on March 12, he to one count of theft up to $100,000, a Class 2 Felony. Due to the plea bargain, his sentence was capped at 3 1/2 years.

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In court Friday, Drefs apologized for taking the money, according to an article in the Chicago Sun-Times. Drefs had previously said he heard voices telling him to take the money. Judge Kathryn Creswell could have sentenced him to probation, but she said his conduct was "purposeful, it was planned. He was careful not to get caught,” according to the Sun-Times.

For nearly two years Drefs used Messiah Lutheran Church "as his own personal piggy bank,” DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a prepared statement. “He betrayed the church and the trust that was placed in him to line his own pockets."

In March 2011, Drefs father repaid the missing money.

Berlin thanked officials at Messiah Lutheran for uncovering the crime.

"It is because of their diligence and assistance we were able to bring an end to Mr. Drefs’ thievery," Berlin said.

He also thanked Officer Steve Wright and Det. Michael Wiehe from the Elmhurst Police Department, as well as Assistant State’s Attorney William Wu, for their work on the case.


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