WYOMING
WGRZ
Posted by: Maria Sisti, Assignment Editor
Created: 3/11/2005 4:26:45 PM
Updated: 3/11/2005 5:01:53 PM
Saying he's sorry and he's learned to come to grips with his problem, a Wyoming County priest Friday was sent to jail for the next three years.
The sentence follows a guilty plea in June by the Reverand Fred Ingalls, 56, to one count of possessing child pornography. Father Ingalls was serving as temporary administrator at St. Joseph Parish in Varysburg and St. Cecilia Church in Sheldon at the time of his arrest in February, 2004.
Father Ingalls admitted to possessing 144 images of child pornography which he had downloaded to his computer. An investigation by the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement revealed he accessed and purchased access to the images from the internet and viewed them with his computer at his residence at St. Joseph's Church.
Reverand Ingalls continues to take part in a diocesan treatment program. According to a spokesperson for the diocese, it is unlikely he will be able to function as a priest ever again.