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	Ex-hinsdale Priest to Be Freed after Serving 5 Years for Sex Abuse By Art Barnum Tribune Reporter July 10, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-lenczycki-10jul10,0,7264226.story Man declared sexually violent has been confined for 5 years A Roman Catholic priest with a history that includes abusing as many as 30 boys, many from Chicago's suburbs, will be freed from a secured state treatment facility in September, but his movements in the outside world will be closely monitored. DuPage County Judge Bonnie Wheaton ruled Thursday that Fred Lenczycki, 65, the first priest in the country to be legally declared sexually violent, will stay at a treatment facility in Rushville until Sept. 24, when the state will submit a future treatment plan. Pending Wheaton's expected approval, Lenczycki will be released by the state and continue sex-offender treatment as an outpatient. "He has already served his time mandated by a criminal court and the focus is to be on treatment, not punishment," Wheaton said at a civil court hearing. But the deputy chief of staff for Illinois Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan expressed concern at the ruling and said it would be appealed. "We will be making every effort to keep this offender in custody and out of the community until he no longer poses a risk to society," Cara Smith said. Lenczycki's sister, Donna Lenczycki, said her brother could live with her in Wheatonwhen released, but the state will recommend where he should live. Other options include an unsecured state facility or a group home. Wherever he lives, Lenczycki will be under tight supervision and severe restrictions. "He committed terrible offenses with great effect on his victims," Wheaton said in ordering Lenczycki's conditional release as allowed under state law. "There will be broad restrictions on his movement. He will not be released into the community to hang around schools or alleyways. I want to ensure the community that his every movement will be reviewed." The Illinois Department of Human Services will present the treatment plan to Wheaton, who will be allowed to make changes before approving it. A treatment hearing is required when a person is declared sexually violent. Marion Cruz, one of Lenczycki's defense attorneys, said he will remain under home confinement for at least 30 days after his release and then be required to wear a GPS ankle bracelet. State officials are to be notified of places he plans to go. He will also have to register for life as a child sex offender. Barbara Blaine, president of Survivors Network of those Abused of Priests, said she was "extremely disappointed in letting him out. It is really a disappointing day for the children of Illinois. He has already terrorized children, and we suspect there is more." Lead defense attorney James Montgomery argued that "Fred will be under the total control of the court." Montgomery said that of more than 300 legally declared sexually violent persons in Illinois, "25 to 27 have been released" from state treatment facilities. The others remain institutionalized. Of those released, only "two to four" have been placed back into the secured treatment facilities, he said. "There is always a risk, but the risk of recidivism for someone over 60 is almost nothing," he said. Assistant Illinois Atty. Gen. Joelle Marasco said at the hearing that "the best place for Lenczycki remains in a secure setting. He still has more things to work on before he can be released." Lenczycki was sentenced to 5 years in prison in 2004 after pleading guilty to sexually abusing three boys from St. Isaac Jogues Parish in Hinsdale in the 1980s. He was due to be released after 2 ? years. But he remained in custody after a DuPage jury in 2008 declared him sexually violent under provisions of a decade-old state act. At the 2008 hearing, prosecutors said Lenczycki admitted abusing as many as 30 youths in Hinsdale, Naperville and Romeoville and in California and Missouri. Doug Delaney, executive assistant for Bishop J. Peter Sartain of the Diocese of Joliet, said Lenczycki was removed from ministry in 2002. Tribune reporter Margaret Ramirez contributed to this report. abarnum@tribune.com
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