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	Former Priest Pleads Guilty to Indecent Assault; Da: He Served in Milton, Stoughton Parishes By Don Conkey Patriot Ledger February 19, 2008 http://ledger.southofboston.com/articles/2008/02/02/news/news11.txt A former South Shore priest has pleaded guilty to indecent assault and battery on a person under 14, among other charges, according to the Norfolk District Attorney's office. John Keane, 69, now a Florida resident, was sentenced to serve 30 days in jail on Jan. 24 in Norfolk Superior Court, said David Traub, spokesman for Norfolk County District Attorney William Keating. Traub said that Keane pleaded guilty to all charges, which included indecent assault and battery on a person under 14 and three counts of assault and battery. The offenses occurred between 1981 and 1983. Keane served as a priest at St. Elizabeth Parish in Milton from 1973-1983, the same year he transferred to Our Lady Parish in Stoughton, according to the Archdiocese in Boston. Keane knew the victim through his family, and not through his duties as a priest, Traub said. In 1987, Keane left the church in Stoughton to become a priest at St. Joseph Parish in Holbrook. Keane has been on leave from the church since 1989, the Archdiocese said. He left Massachusetts a year later, Traub said. In a statement, the Archdiocese said it recently learned of Keane's guilty plea, and have cooperated fully with the Norfolk County District Attorney's Office throughout its investigation. ÑÑThe Archdiocese ...is deeply saddened by Father Keane's actions toward a young person," according to a statement released by Kelly Lynch, a spokesperson for the Archdiocese. ÑÑThe Archdiocese continues to hold all persons impacted in its prayers." In addition to the jail sentence, Keane was ordered to register as a sex offender and provide a DNA sample, Traub said. He was ordered to undergo three years of supervised probation on each assault and battery charge, to be served concurrently. During that time, he must submit to sex offender evaluations and treatment; stay way from the victim and her family; have no unsupervised contact with children under 18; live or have employment with no children under 18; and to abstain from alcohol. ÑÑThe victim and her family members were present for the plea, and they indicated that they were pleased with the outcome," Traub said. Don Conkey may be reached at dconkey@ledger.com.
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