Churchill Priest Accused of Possessing Child Porn out on Bond

By Torsten Ove
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
January 6, 2012

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/12006/1201752-100.stm

A Churchill priest indicted on child pornography charges was released on bond this afternoon following arraignment in U.S. District Court.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Lisa Pupo Lenihan ordered that the Rev. Bartley Sorensen be released on a $50,000 unsecured bond and confined to his house on electronic monitoring pending trial before U.S. District Judge Alan Bloch.

Rev. Sorensen, 62, of St. John Fisher Church, was charged last month in state court with possession of thousands of images on his computer of young boys posing naked or involved in sex acts.

Authorities decided to pursue the case in federal court, where penalties are heavier than in the state system.

Rev. Sorensen was indicted Tuesday on charges of receiving and accessing child pornography.

Contact: tove@post-gazette.com