Father Robert M. Timchak - 16 counts, Sexual Abuse of Children

[moobu2]

Pike County, Pa. -
Pennsylvania State Police and the Pike County District Attorney announced the arrest of Father Robert M. Timchak, 43, last known to be living in Milford, in an on-line child porn case.
Timchack has been charged with; 16 counts, Sexual Abuse of Children (F2); 1 count. Sexual Abuse of Children (F3); 1 count, Criminal Use of Communication Facility (F3); and 1 count, Tampering with/or Fabricating Physical Evidence.
The investigation started on December 17, 2008 when The Pike County District Attorney's Office received correspondence from the Diocese of Scranton reference an anonymous letter they had received. The Diocese advised that the letter contained explicit photographs and comments of young males, possibly children, that reportedly had been recovered during a search of a certain e-mail address on both "You Tube" and "XTube." The letter also contained the front cover of a bulletin from the Saint John Neumann and Good Shepard Churches that listed the same e-mail address as that of Father Robert Timchak.
State Police received consent by Timchack to search a table top and laptop computer. It was discovered during the investigation that Timchack attempted to delete graphic files from his computer. Graphic files containing nude or partialy clothed males were found after a search of the computers. It was determined that the males dipicted were under the age of 18.
The files of the suspected males under age eighteen were also forwarded to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The Center reported that the files contained child victims who have been identified by law enforcement. The files were from two series and they were identified as "Brad & Bry" and "Jesse."
Timchack was arraigned today before Magisterial District Judge Alan Cooper, Milford.


LiNk

In other news

Ex-Windsor priest arrested for sex abuse in Haiti

former Windsor priest has been arrested in the Dominican Republic and faces charges of sexually assaulting teenage boys in Haiti, says a local media report.

Father Joao José Correira Duarte, also known as John, 43, was arrested Tuesday at a hotel in Puerto Plata, Hoy Digital, a Spanish-language news website based in Santo Domingo, D.R., reported Wednesday.

He faces 12 charges of sexually assaulting boys aged 12 to 17, the site reported.

John Duarte, formerly of Windsor, Ont., faces charges of sexual abuse involving teenage boys in Haiti. (Hoy Digital)
Some of the charges date to 1995, when Duarte helped run an orphanage in Port-au-Prince, the site reported.

Duarte had for many years been involved in charity and missionary work in Haiti.

He is a co-founder of Windsor-based Hearts Together for Haiti (HTFHaiti), a charity dedicated to "helping the Haitian community" with educational and medical programs, according to its website and worked for it in Haiti since 2003.



:LiNk

Priest Pleads Guilty To Sexual Assault
posted by: Alan Neushwander on Thu. Oct. 22 2009
A Catholic Priest from Mason County has pleaded guilty to charges that he sexually assaulted someone at the Ludington Meijer store. Father Johnson Pappusamy is the former pastor of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Custer and St. Jerome's Catholic Church in Scottville. He was arrested following an incident that occurred on February 11th at Meijer. Pappusamy pleaded guilty yesterday to 4th degree criminal sexual conduct and immediately started serving 30 days in jail. Officials at the Mason County Circuit Court say Pappusamy will be formally sentenced on November 17th.



LinK

daughter testifies during fourth day of former pastor's murder trial
Longmont sex offender, former youth pastor, arrested again
Thou shalt not bite (preacher bites police officer)

[Angry Dragon]

1. Were they just doing God's work??

The future of churches are in these peoples' hand. I pity their followers.

[rd_kent]

2. More fuel for the fire......

Cannot WAIT for the bonfire of the bibles when people FINALLY wake up and open their eyes and minds.

[happyslug]

4. But in the first case, the Bishop forwarded the letter of the accusation to the Police

That is what the Bishops should have been doing in most of the cases the Church is being sued for. In this case the Bishop forwarded the evidence to the Police when SOMEONE sent it to the Bishop instead of the Local Police.

Pedophiles occur in every organization, the key is setting up systems to catch them and make sure the abuse stops. In this case the Bishop (or one of his assistants) did what they should have, turn the evidence over to the police.

Please note, in most cases you do NOT have such evidence. Generally all the Bishop and the police have is an accusation (Which they must treat that it may be false). In this case you have clear evidence and the Bishops acted properly, he should be commended not condemned.

The other two cases, there are no comments on if or how the Diocese was involved. but again it should be noted the perpetrators were caught.

[rd_kent]

7. Pedophilia is but a SMALL portion of the wrongness of religion.

DOn't get me started unless you REALLY want to go there, and if you do, load up your guns......

[happyslug]

8. But the allegation is Pedophilia, and that is the topic I was addressing

And we need to encourage people who become award of such activities which is why I said the Bishop in this case should be commended not condemned. He did what was needed, under the law he did NOT have to but did so and he should be commended which is the point I was making. Just because religion is involved does not means that anything bad that occurred was the result of religion (or lack of religion), the Church is this case did what all we can expect them to do. Remember the Church, like any individual, have no duty to report about what was in this letter. The Church could have buried this letter and have every right to do so (as would any individual in the same position). In cases where the Church has been held liable, it was do to the church NOT doing something where it was clear the Church KNEW a Priest was doing ongoing damage (i.e. Pedophilia). Here there is NO evidence that the Priest was doing anything but having the Pictures (Which is illegal in itself) and these were NOT do to abuse of his position as a Priest. Since no abuse of his position is involved the Church could have buried this problem without having to contact the police (As could any other person who gets such a letter about an employee). The only time the Church is liable if it involves his duties as a Priest (or if this was a private employer, his duties as an employee i.e. a counselor at a private clinic).

Anyway, my point is we should ENCOURAGE people to do what the Bishop did in that case and attacking them is NOT encouraging them to do what is right in the future. The Bishop did something that was NOT legally required of him and that should be encouraged and attacks on his religion and religion in general is NOT encouraging people to do what is needed in cases like we are discussing.

[rd_kent]

9. You are applauding this guy because he did something he was not LEGALLY required to do?

Big f-ing deal? His christian "morals"(whatever the fuck THAT is) should be what drives him to turn in child molesters.

I argue that pedophilia in the church is a SYMPTOM of a bigger issue, that issue being the insanity of religion and the brainwashing, control and corruption that breeds that type of behavior.

Good for the Bishop...Hooray! What about the hundreds (or thousands?) of other priests that molested kids?

[moobu2]

10. The diocese didn’t turn the evidence over to police for 7 day’s

After they received it. That’s a long time when you’re talking about someone who could be involved in this type of thing, especially since Father Timchack's work placed him around young children. He was a 4th grade substitute teacher.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

3. Forgive me father for ye have sinned. n/t

[dmallind]

5. Hey where's that guy who always responds that nefarious preachers weren't in "real churches"

Ya know - as if having a hierarchy or synod was some kind of bulwark against clergy misdeeds.

[rug]

6. "State Police received consent by Timchack to search a table top and laptop computer."

Sure they did.