By David Unze
Cloud Times
May 7, 2010
http://www.sctimes.com/article/20100507/NEWS01/105060056/1009/Retired-St.-Cloud-pastor-pleads-guilty-to-sex-assault
A retired pastor and former volunteer chaplain for the St. Cloud Police Department pleaded guilty Thursday to charges that he repeatedly sexually abused a girl at his west St. Cloud home.
Arthur James Ree, 83, pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. Prosecutors plan to ask Stearns County District Court Judge Kris Davick-Halfen to sentence Ree to 28 years in prison, while Ree's attorney said he plans to file paperwork seeking a sentence far shorter.
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| Arthur James Ree |
Ree is scheduled to be sentenced July 8.
He admitted Thursday that he had numerous sexual contacts with a girl from late 2001 until June 2003, when the girl was 11-13 years old.
Ree had been charged with six counts of criminal sexual conduct in court documents that contend the sexual contact lasted until 2006. Some of the abuse happened during a time when Ree was working as a volunteer chaplain for the city's police department, according to the criminal complaint.
The abuse report surfaced after an argument between Ree and the girl when she refused to allow him to force a sex act on her, according to the complaint. Ree also was employed at St. Cloud VA Medical Center as a chaplain from 1984-1997. He posted bail after his original arrest and remains free until sentencing
Contact: dunze@stcloudtimes.com
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