By Marc Fortier and Ryan O'Connor
The Patch
July 8, 2011
http://beaconhill.patch.com/articles/former-beacon-hill-priest-charged-with-sexual-assault
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Bedford, N.H., police have confirmed the arrest of Franklin Huntress Jr., a former Episcopal priest charged with felonious sexual assault stemming from an incident or incidents involving a juvenile under the age of 13 in the early 1980s. Huntress served at The Church of the Advent, at 30 Brimmer St., from 1998 to 2001. The Church of the Advent was once associated with The Advent School but is no longer.
The Rev. Timothy Rich of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire confirmed Thursday that an unnamed person came forward after accusations against Huntress surfaced in Massachusetts that led to his resigning from the priesthood in February. A statement from the Boston Diocese differed slightly, saying Huntress was removed in February. Huntress last served as a parish priest at The Church of the Advent, according to information provided by the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts.
“In October 2010, the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts received a complaint against Franklin E. Huntress Jr. alleging sexual misconduct with a minor in 1974. An investigation was conducted in accordance with the canons of the Episcopal Church, which led to Mr. Huntress’s removal, in February 2011, from the priesthood of the Episcopal Church,” read the statement.
Huntress was serving in a church in Manchester, N.H., at the time, according to Massachusetts diocese information.
The 78-year-old Huntress, who was arraigned Thursday in Hillsborough County Superior Court, was arrested by law enforcement in Marblehead and extradited to New Hampshire as a fugitive from justice, according to Bedford Police Detective Matt Fleming.
Fleming noted that Huntress was not running from police, but rather required extradition because he was living in Massachusetts when he was arrested.
According to Rich, the latest alleged assault occurred in the early 1980s. A victim, Fleming said, contacted Manchester Police several months ago, and the investigation soon became multi-jurisdictional when it became clear that a possible assault had taken place within Bedford town limits. The detective said he was unable to provide further details about the case's Bedford ties at this time. The Massachusetts diocese says that Huntress was a priest in Schuylerville, New York, at the time.
Huntress was released on $25,000 bail following his arraignment, according to WMUR-TV.
Bedford and Manchester Police urge anyone with further information in this case contact to contact them. Bedford Police can be reached at 603-472-5113.
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