BELLINGHAM (MA)
Woonsocket Call
Call Staff 03/16/2005
BELLINGHAM -- The Rev. Paul M. Desilets, 81, has taken another step to fight extradition from Canada, according to Worcester County District Attorney John Conte.
Desilets faces a Worcester County grand jury indictment alleging he sexually assaulted altar boys at Assumption Parish during his tenure there between 1974 and 1984.
The retired priest had until the end of last week to decide if he would seek Canadian Supreme Court review of a lower Court of Appeals ruling upholding his extradition.
Conte was still awaiting official word about Desilets’ further appeal and issued no additional information on the matter Tuesday.
The May 2002 indictment against Desilets charged him with 16 counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, 10 counts of indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or older, and six counts of assault and battery. These are all alleged to have occurred during his service as a parish priest at Assumption, according to Conte’s office.