cbs3_blue-on-white_2013 Philly_KYW_new Philly_94WIP_new CBS Sports Radio 610 Philly_WPHT_new

Latest News

Philadelphia Priest, Former Lay Teacher Guilty Of Most Counts In Sex Abuse Trial

Pat Ciarrocchi

Reporting Pat Ciarrocchi

Check Out


By Pat Ciarrocchi

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – The verdict is guilty for a 66-year-old priest and a 49-year-old former Catholic school lay teacher in the sexual molestation of a then 10-year-old altar boy at St. Jerome’s Parish back in 1998 and 1999.

Both men were led from the courtroom at the Criminal Justice Center and taken into custody on Wednesday. They will be sentenced March 18th, 2013. (see related story)

The trial of Father Charles Engelhardt, an oblate of St. Francis DeSales, and Bernard Shero culminated a two year legal process that began with a 2011 grand jury report detailing abuse of children at the hands of priests and a cover-up by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

This case turned on the story of one victim, now 24 years of age, who testified that in 2009, he reported being abused as a child to the Archdiocese. The victim, known as “Billy Doe,” said he was passed from one priest to another and then to a lay teacher in what District Attorney Seth Williams called “heinous crimes.”

Engelhardt faces a maximum sentence of 37 years in prison, and Shero faces a maximum of 57 years.

Listen Live!

Follow CBS Philly

Like us on foursquare

Now on CBS Philly

nowon lovearts1 Now on CBS Philly nowon kidcast 03161 Now on CBS Philly nowon dec12 rac Now on CBS Philly  Now on CBS Philly nowon 3onyourside Now on CBS Philly nowon deal Now on CBS Philly dunkin homepage tile Now on CBS Philly  Now on CBS Philly