An Oregon priest currently awaits sentencing on several felony charges. He recently pleaded guilty a sex crime -- first-degree sexual abuse. In Oregon, the minimum sentence for first-degree sexual abuse is six years, but he could face additional time for a driving while intoxicated charge and for a furnishing alcohol to a minor charge.
Apparently the man is a Roman Catholic priest in Woodburn and was originally from Mexico. According to prosecutors, the man gave alcohol to a 12-year-old boy who was staying with him overnight. When the boy fell asleep, prosecutors say, the priest fondled the boy and took pictures of him naked. The boy apparently woke up and ran from the scene. The priest followed him but was arrested a short time later.
In addition to the charges that the priest pleaded guilty to, he was also charged with tampering with evidence and using a child in a display of sexually explicit conduct. Both of these charges were eventually dropped.
As can be seen in this case, consequences for being found guilty of a sex crime are very serious. In addition to the prison time this man must serve, he could also face deportation following his release from prison.
In Oregon, sex crimes are aggressively prosecuted by law enforcement agencies. While these officers have duty to keep people safe, they also must respect and uphold certain rights for the defendants. For example, police need a warrant before they can search people's residences, computers or other personal property when looking for evidence of a sex crime.
Sometimes, police are so zealous to make an arrest they bypass steps they need to take to protect people's rights. When this happens, the evidence that police collect may be excluded from the case against the defendant. People charged with sex crimes should make sure that all their rights were upheld during any investigation or else they may unnecessarily face very harsh penalties with long-lasting effects.
Source: UPI, "Oregon priest guilty of sex abuse," April 2, 2013
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