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Pa. Priest Suspended, Facing Sex Assault Charges

SCRANTON, Pa. (AP) — A northeastern Pennsylvania priest is facing charges after police say he was caught having sex with a 15-year-old boy in a parked car.

The Rev. W. Jeffery Paulish is an assistant pastor at Prince of Peace Parish in Old Forge. He is charged with involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, indecent assault and related counts.

Police said the 56-year-old priest was caught in a car in a parking lot with the partially undressed teen around 9 p.m. Thursday by Penn State's Worthington-Scranton campus security.

The Scranton Diocese says it's cooperating with the police investigation and Paulish is suspended from his duties.

Investigators said Paulish admitted arranging the encounter through an online Craigslist ad.

He was being held at the Lackawanna County on $50,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.

 (© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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