The man arrested earlier this month after Martin County church parishioners charged he stole Communion wafers now faces a new charge: stealing a sacrament book.

Jonathan S. Ricci faces burglary and theft charges in connection with the Nov. 6 theft of a sacrament book at St. Marin de Porres Church in Jensen Beach.

See video

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1507785075/bclid1504426292/bctid2778735001

The theft took place two days before Ricci, 33, reportedly tried to make off with at least one Communion wafer – which Roman Catholics believe is the body of Jesus Christ – during a morning Mass.

When Ricci went to flee the church, parishioners rushed to stop him. He was arrested on charges of theft, battery and disrupting a religious service.

Martin County sheriff’s deputies added the new charges after they say surveillance video at the church shows Ricci taking the book, spokeswoman Rhonda Irons said. Deputy Dan Foote was able to match the clothing that Ricci was wearing on his Nov. 8 arrest as the same seen in the video, Irons said.

Ricci, of Jensen Beach, has refused to speak with detectives regarding the burglary and theft, Irons said. The sacrament book has not been recovered at this time.

He remains in the custody of the Martin County jail on the original charges of theft, two counts of battery and disruption of religious services in addition to the new charges of burglary and theft. He is being held on $5,000 bail.
By ANA X. CERON
ana_ceron@pbpost.com

Tags: communion, Jonathan Ricci, sacrament book, St. Marin de Porres, wafers

This entry was posted on Thursday, November 20th, 2008 at 10:44 am and is filed under Crime, Jensen Beach. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.