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Catholic priest (archive image)
Photo: Joerg Sarbach/ AP
A former Catholic priest has admitted sexual misconduct towards a child he met in the course of his pastoral work as a priest.
The 68-year-old pleaded guilty to intent to commit criminal sexual acts on a minor, the U.S. Attorney's Office in South Carolina said this week.
As the court noted, the man known as "Father Gonzalez" showered an 11-year-old boy with gifts and attentions before taking him to Florida for a beach vacation in November 2020, according to a press release. After that, he attempted to sexually abuse the child, behaved in other sexually inappropriate ways, and showed him pornography, according to FBI officials.
In the same month, the boy's parents shared their concerns about an inappropriate relationship with the Catholic authorities. The priest was suspended and reported to the sheriff's office.
The man faces between ten years and life imprisonment. The authorities asked anyone who has information about other potential victims to contact the FBI.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston did not immediately respond to an email from the AP news agency seeking comment. On its website, the diocese encourages anyone who has been abused by church workers to contact the diocese's victim support coordinator for advice.
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