UPPER MARLBORO (MD)
The Courier
BY JAMES WASHBURN
THE COURIER
UPPER MARLBORO, Md. — Lincoln resident Francis Benham, a 68-year-old former Catholic priest who pleaded guilty in December to second- and third-degree sex charges dating back to the 1970s, was sentenced to 18 months in jail Friday.
Circuit Judge Michele Hotten officially sentenced Benham to two, 10-year concurrent prison terms stemming from the convictions. But, as part of a plea agreement reached between Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Glenn Ivey and Benham’s defense attorney, all but 18 months of the simultaneous prison terms were suspended, said Ramon Korionoff, a spokesman for Ivey.
In addition to the jail term, Benham also was ordered to serve three years of supervised release after his discharge from jail and is to refrain from contacting the victims in the case or with any one under the age of 18, Korionoff said.
Hotten also ordered Benhem be clinically evaluated by a member of the Association for the Treatment of Sex Abusers, he added.
Posted by kshaw at March 7, 2005 06:42 AM