Judge reconsidering priest's release in sex case

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Judge reconsidering priest's release in sex case
The Associated Press
November 14, 2014 Updated 2 hours ago

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — A federal judge is reconsidering a lower magistrate's order to release a Pennsylvania priest from jail and put the priest on house arrest until his trial on charges of traveling to Honduras for sex with poor street children during missionary trips.

U.S. District Judge Kim Gibson in Johnstown held a new detention hearing Friday for the Rev. Joseph Maurizio and says he plans to issue a ruling later in the day.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Keith Pesto last week ruled the 69-year-old priest could be released to home detention as long as his bank accounts are frozen and he's not able to access church-related funds. Prosecutors are concerned Maurizio could use the money to flee the country before he's prosecuted and appealed to Gibson for a new hearing.

A defense attorney claims the priest has been wrongly accused.

Read more: http://www.centredaily.com/2014/11/14/4457239_judge-to-reconsider-priests-release.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy

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(Short article, no more at link.)

[Judi Lynn]

1. Judge overturns magistrate, orders priest accused of sex crimes detained

Judge overturns magistrate, orders priest accused of sex crimes detained
November 14, 2014 7:16 PM

By Torsten Ove / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette


A federal judge today reversed a decision by a magistrate to release a Johnstown-area priest charged with traveling to Honduras for sex with young boys and ordered him detained pending trial.

U.S. District Judge Kim Gibson said Rev. Joseph Maurizio, 69, will remain behind bars as a risk to flee and a danger to the community, the two standards that govern federal detention orders.

The ruling overturned an earlier decision by U.S. Magistrate Judge Keith Pesto to release the priest as long his bank accounts were frozen and he was unable to access church funds.

Judge Pesto had kept Rev. Maurizio jailed, however, while the U.S. attorney's office appealed the decision.

Prosecutors were especially concerned that Rev. Maurizio would use his money, the source of which remains unexplained, to flee the country.

More:
http://www.post-gazette.com/local/region/2014/11/14/Judge-overturns-magistrate-orders-priest-accused-of-sex-crimes-detained/stories/201411140242

[freshwest]

3. Good. He's a flight risk. He wouldn't be the first one to do that.

[happyslug]

2. Johnstown Local Paper report in this:

http://www.tribdem.com/news/local_news/new-victims-emerge-during-priest-s-detention-hearing/article_f4084ef2-6c1a-11e4-99cf-432941fced59.html

http://www.tribdem.com/news/hearing-on-priest-s-appeal-set-for-friday/article_11d647cc-695a-11e4-8a96-635588f0f7ff.html

http://www.tribdem.com/news/judge-orders-priest-to-be-released-but-appeal-will-keep/article_20339e72-6613-11e4-97f9-2bb7c8f60688.html