NEW BRITAIN (CT)
Boston.com
May 10, 2006
NEW BRITAIN, Conn. --The priest of an Armenian church was charged Tuesday with molesting a 12-year-old girl last year, and his parishioners responded by rallying in support of him and protesting the arrest.
Krikoris Keshishian, 53, leader of St. Stephen's Apostolic Armenian Church in New Britain, was charged with fourth-degree sexual assault and impairing the morals of a child by sexual contact. He was released on a promise to appear in New Britain Superior Court on May 23.
New Britain police Sgt. Michael Baden said the allegations involve a single incident in May 2005, but more counts involving the same girl may be added. He said a relative of the girl called police after she told her family about the alleged abuse.
Police said Keshishian was acting in his official capacity when he inappropriately touched the girl.