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	Priest Arrested for Abusing Children in Montgomery County WNYT February 27, 2008 http://wnyt.com/article/stories/S361245.shtml?cat=300 [with video] PALATINE - A priest is accused of sexually abusing at least four children in a Montgomery County family. Father John Broderick now faces felony charges. According to the attorney representing the family of the children, Father John Broderick was treated like a family member until the mother of the children became suspicious. State police say Broderick had inappropriate sexual contact with at the four siblings who ranged in age from five to 11. The charges range from sexual abuse to endangering the welfare of a child. State Police say Broderick was the spiritual advisor to the mother of the children who they say Broderick abused. That is confirmed by the attorney who now represents the family. He says at first other family members became suspicious of Broderick's behavior but it wasn't until the mother became suspicious, that police were asked to investigate. "My understanding is for the past three or four months this investigation was primarily focused on the priest giving alcohol to various children. And when it morphed into sexual abuse of the children, of course I wasn't surprised by that," said John Aretakis. Broderick was arrested in Massena, New York on Monday. He was arraigned in the Montgomery County town of Palatine where the alleged abuse took place. He is currently in the Montgomery County jail on $50,000 bail. A spokesperson for the Albany Roman Catholic Diocese says the Diocese had no knowledge of Broderick's presence in the diocese until this matter came up. Mark Lyman, the Albany Chapter Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those abused by Priests has been in contact with the family. He tells Newschannel 13: "this demonstrates the method by which many of these priests in positions of authority are able to weave their way into the family structure and gain access to the children." State Police say Broderick is currently assigned to the Syracuse Diocese but his official duties were suspended earlier this year.
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