CHARLESTON (SC)
Guardian
Tuesday April 25, 2006 4:46 PM
CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) - A Roman Catholic priest pleaded guilty to three counts of assault and battery, avoiding a trial that was about to start on charges alleging he sexually abused two boys more than 25 years ago.
The Rev. James Nyhan was sentenced to 30 years in prison after the plea Monday, but Circuit Judge Markley Dennis suspended the sentence to five years probation.
The plea included a charge involving a third victim in a case to be heard later.
Nyhan, 60, served in the Diocese of Charleston in 1979 and 1980 and later was a priest in the Archdiocese of Boston. He was removed from active ministry three years ago and now lives in California.