CINCINNATI (OH)
Dayton Daily News
By Kimball Perry
Cincinnati Post
CINCINNATI | The Rev. Raymond Larger, the former pastor of White Oak's St. James Parish convicted in 2003 of public indecency at a public park in Dayton, was indicted on new charges Wednesday by a Hamilton County grand jury.
He was indicted for three counts of rape, two counts of sexual battery and a count of sexual touching, charges carrying a maximum prison sentence of 41 ½ years.
Larger is accused of befriending a 12-year-old boy, who now is 21, and engaging in sex with him in 1995 through 1997 — at a time when the boy's mother was battling cancer.
Larger turned himself in after the indictment was announced and, through his attorney, insisted he'd done nothing illegal.
"This allegation is completely false. There is absolutely no truth to it. I have never had inappropriate behavior with the accuser or with any minor. As I stand before God, my conscience is clear and clean. I have done nothing wrong. I am confident that I will be fully vindicated and I will do all in my power to bring forth the truth," Larger's statement noted.
In the Dayton case, Larger, a Roman Catholic priest, resigned as pastor of Our Lady of Visitation Church in Greene Twp., Hamilton County, and had been on administrative leave since Aug. 5, 2003, after neighborhood activists near Dayton's Triangle Park reported his arrest to the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.
Larger was arrested July 23, 2003, after approaching an undercover officer for sex, fondling him and then exposing himself. Larger was fined and placed on probation. He received counseling during his leave, and his treating psychologist advised that he be returned to active ministry, the archdiocese said.