By Rachanee Srisavasdi
Orange County Register
August 21 2010
http://www.ocregister.com/news/lyons-263006-church-diocese.html
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| Former priest Denis Lyons |
SANTA ANA – A retired priest who has pleaded not guilty to charges of molesting a young boy at a Costa Mesa church about 18 years ago will go to trial in January.
Denis Lyons, 76, of Seal Beach, appeared at a pre-trial hearing Friday before Orange County Superior Court Judge Frank F. Fasel. His trial, which is estimated to last 10 days, was scheduled for Jan. 10.
Lyons, who is out on bail, is accused of molesting a boy between January 1992 and December 1995 at St. John the Baptist Catholic School in Costa Mesa. The boy was a second and third grade student, and the molestation allegedly occurred in rectory and sacristy of the adjoining church, prosecutors said.
Lyons was removed from ministry in 2002 because of sex abuse allegations.
He first admitted to inappropriate behavior with two adults in 1979. The diocese put Lyons in counseling, and was removed in 2002 when he was assigned to St. Edward Church in Dana Point.
The Diocese of Orange has paid more than $4 million to settle sex-abuse lawsuits involving Lyons. In February 2009, the diocese settled the most recent sex-abuse lawsuit against Lyons for an undisclosed amount. A former student at St. John the Baptist sued the Diocese and accused Lyons of abusing him at the church.
Lyons, who is out on $100,000 bail, is charged with four felony counts of lewd conduct with a child younger than 14, along with a sentencing enhancement of committing substantial sexual conduct. If convicted, he faces 14 years in prison.
Contact the writer: 714-834-3773 or rsrisavasdi@ocregister.com
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