POTTSVILLE (PA)
Times-Leader
Associated Press
POTTSVILLE, Pa. - A Roman Catholic priest admitted he owned hundreds of child pornography photos, magazines, videotapes and DVDs and embezzled more than $23,000 from the church.
The Rev. Ronald J. Yarrosh, 57, formerly an assistant pastor at St. Ambrose Church in Schuylkill Haven, pleaded guilty Wednesday to charges of theft, receiving stolen property, criminal use of a communication facility and three counts of sexual abuse of children.
A plea agreement calls for Yarrosh to serve a three- to 23-month county prison sentence followed by 10 years' probation.
County President Judge William Baldwin deferred sentencing so Yarrosh could be evaluated to determine whether he's a sexual predator, which would require him to register with state police under Megan's Law. Baldwin said the state would have 90 days to complete the evaluation.
Yarrosh was freed on unsecured bail. He and his lawyer, Emmanuel H. Dimitriou, declined to comment.
Posted by kshaw at April 28, 2005 09:14 AM