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	Bergen Priest Charged with Improper Contact with Woman, 72 Newsday June 3, 2008 http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newjersey/ny-bc-nj--priestcharged0603jun03,0,1082102.story HACKENSACK, N.J. - A Roman Catholic priest in Bergen County is accused of inappropriate sexual contact with an elderly parishioner. Prosecutors say that after a Nov. 15 church service at St. Anne's Parish in Fair Lawn, Father Edson Fernando Costa forced a 72-year-old woman to touch him in a sexual manner. The Archdiocese of Newark placed the 39-year-old Costa on paid leave and reported the incident to authorities. Costa has been charged with criminal sexual contact; he's free on his own recognizance. His lawyer, William Murray, says Costa is "a very nice man" originally from Bolivia who was ordained about three years ago. Murray wouldn't talk about the charges against Costa. The Newark Archdiocese says no other similar allegations have been made against Costa. If he is convicted, Costa could face up to 18 months in jail.
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