East Boston man charged with preying on Winthrop church

Michael Bocchino, 50, was recently arraigned on charges of failing to do masonry work for which he'd been paid and cashing checks he'd stolen from the rectory of Holy Rosary Church, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney's office.

In all, Bocchino is charged with absconding with $30,000 - $10,000 in payments for incomplete work over a year and $20,000 in blank church checks he made out to himself or his company, prosecutors charge.

Bocchino was arraigned last week in East Boston District Court after a joint investigation over several months by police in both Wintrhop and Boston - where he allegedly cashed most of the checks.

He's next scheduled for a Dec. 21 pre-trial hearing.