Priest, prison inmate to stand trial in sex case

CRESSON, Pa. (Map, News) - A Roman Catholic priest who worked as a state prison chaplain was ordered to stand trial on charges he had sexual contact with an inmate while the inmate will stand trial on charges he extorted $7,600 in hush money from the priest.

The Rev. Gerard M. Connolly, 66, of Altoona, is a member of a Franciscan order that had a contract with the state to provide chaplain services. The inmate, William Victor, 37, is serving more than 42 years in prison for sexually assaulting a woman at gunpoint and trying to rob the woman and her husband at a resort in the Poconos.

Connolly and Victor were ordered to stand trial Thursday after both waived preliminary hearings on the charges.

State police charged Connolly with 12 counts of institutional sexual assault and five counts of taking contraband into the State Correctional Institution-Cresson. The contraband was alcohol that Victor drank, police said. The priest's prison work was terminated in March.

Victor, who is now serving his sentence at the state prison in Huntingdon, is charged with theft by extortion. The sex allegations came to light after prison authorities asked him about a money order sent to his prison account in January.

Connolly did not comment as he left a district judge's courtroom Thursday.

"We waived a hearing after discussions with the district attorney and the case will now proceed through the system," said the priest's defense attorney, Mary Ann Probst.

Victor's attorney, Richard Corcoran, said he waived the hearing so he can fully investigate all the allegations.

First Assistant District Attorney Heath Long said the case will be unusual because Connolly and Victor are both defendants and alleged victims. The case won't be ready for trial until at least January, Long said.

http://www.examiner.com/a-973367~Priest ... _case.html

And these are the people throwing our VALUES in our faces because we don't want ILLEGALS invading our country?