By Ralph R. Ortega
he Star-Ledger
September 5, 2008
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/09/milford_priest_faces_sentencin.html
A Roman Catholic priest from Milford is scheduled to be sentenced today in state Superior Court in Hunterdon County for his second child-sex abuse conviction.
Rev. John Banko, 62, was convicted May 13 of first-degree aggravated sexual assault and second-degree endangering the welfare of a child. Prosecutors are recommending he serve between 15 and 20 years.
The former pastor of St. Edward the Confessor Church in Milford is already serving 15 years for a 2003 child sex abuse conviction at the Adult Diagnostic and Treatment Center, New Jersey's prison for sex offenders in the Avenel section of Woodbridge Township.
In the earlier case, Banko was convicted of abusing a boy twice after Sunday Mass between 1993 and 1994.
His second conviction is for abusing a different victim: a boy attending religious instruction at the church, between 1994 and January 1995.
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| Rev. John Banko seen in court in this 2003 photo. |
Hunterdon County Assistant Prosecutor Dawn Solari told a jury in the case that the victim was 9- and 10-years-old at the time.
The victim, now in his 20s and living out of state, testified during the trial that he was abused by Banko in a locked bathroom at the church parish center.
He and his family are expected at today's sentencing, along with victim advocates, and a representative from the Diocese of Metuchen.
At the time of his second conviction, Banko was allowed to remain a priest, but was prohibited from serving Mass or performing other priestly duties, said a spokeswoman for the diocese.
The spokeswoman, Joanne Ward said also said then that Banko had not undergone a formal laicization, which could strip him of his ordination. She said his future status as a priest was being reviewed by Bishop Paul G. Bootkoski.
Bootkoski has met with the victim and his family "to express his personal concern for them," according to a statement.
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