January 19, 2005

Priest faces additional charge in pornography case

NEW BEDFORD (MA)
Telegram & Gazette

The Associated Press

NEW BEDFORD, Mass.— A Fall River priest accused of storing thousands of pornographic images of children on his computer now faces the additional charge of exhibiting or posing a child in a sexual act.

The new charge against the Rev. Stephen Fernandes, pastor at Our Lady of Fatima Parish, was handed up by a grand jury last week and announced at his arraignment Tuesday in New Bedford Superior Court.

A spokesman for the Bristol district attorney's office declined to comment, saying the case file had been impounded.

Fernandes pleaded innocent to all the charges. He was released on $5,000 cash bail.

The charges carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

Posted by kshaw at January 19, 2005 09:03 AM