New York Daily News

‘Hater’ guilty in church robs

- Thomas Tracy

OH, LORD, he’s in trouble now.

A homeless man accused of breaking into churches because he hates God has pleaded guilty to the crimes, prosecutor­s said Thursday.

Joseph Woznik, 24, is facing up to 4½ years in prison for burglarizi­ng four houses of worship in Queens between March 21 and April 10.

“I break in to get back at God,” Woznik confessed to police, according to court papers. “I’m mad at God. I don’t like church no more. I’m sick and tired of hearing about religion.”

Yet, during a an exclusive jailhouse interview with the Daily News, his faith in God had apparently been restored.

“I don’t hate God or religion,” he swore at Rikers Island. “I’ve been here praying all day, begging for forgivenes­s.”

Woznik explained that he decided to steal from the churches, including one that he hit three times, because he “didn’t want to harm people.”He pleaded guilty to burglary as a hate crime, criminal possession of stolen property and bail jumping for a 2016 warrant related to a Florida burglary.

 ??  ??
 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United States