Audit declares pastor innocent
By Jean Torkelson, Rocky Mountain News
October 23, 2007

The Rev. Don Armstrong was declared innocent today of misusing funds at Grace Church and St. Stephens, according to an independent audit arranged by the parish.

Forensic auditor Robert Johnson concluded several months of investigation into allegations, first raised by the Episcopal Diocese of Colorado, that Armstrong had engaged in fraud and theft of more than $500,000 in parish money over the past 10 years.

This summer, a diocesan panel, aided by the firm of Denver attorney Hal Haddon, used its fraud and theft findings to launch a criminal investigation by the financial crimes unit of the Colorado Springs Police Department. That investigation is continuing.

"We fully expect that Robert Johnson's report will put that (criminal) issue to bed quickly," said Alan Crippen, who is Armstrong's spokesman. the rest