December 24, 2005

Priest sentenced to 15 months in prison

ROCHESTER (NY)
Catholic Courier

By Rob Cullivan/Catholic Courier

ROCHESTER -- In U.S. District Court Dec. 14, Judge David G. Larimer sentenced Father Michael J. Volino to 15 months in federal prison. The priest had pleaded guilty in May to one felony count of possession of computer child pornography.

Upon completion of his sentence, Father Volino must register as a sex offender, and he will be on supervised release for 10 years, Larimer said.

The judged ordered Father Volino to report to a federal prison within six to eight weeks to begin serving his sentence.

In May, the priest admitted that he possessed child pornography on his computer in October 2004. According to an FBI affidavit, an employee of the Diocese of Rochester had discovered pornography while servicing Father Volino's computer in January 2005, and the diocese alerted authorities.

Father Volino had been parochial vicar at Greece's St. John the Evangelist Parish at the time the charges were filed, and the diocese placed him on administrative leave, prohibiting him from public ministry.

Posted by kshaw at December 24, 2005 06:51 AM