Former Fitchburg Priest Indicted on Child-Porn, Theft Charges

Sentinel & Enterprise
March 27, 2012

www.sentinelandenterprise.com/local/ci_20263915/former-fitchburg-priest-indicted-child-porn-theft-charges

FITCHBURG -- A grand jury Friday indicted a former Fitchburg priest on charges that he stole from his parish and kept images of child pornography on his computers.

The Rev. Lowe Dongor, formerly assigned to St. Joseph Church on Woodland Street, is believed to have fled to his native Philippines.

"The last I knew was that he was gone in the wind and that we had a warrant out for his arrest," said Timothy J. Connolly, spokesman for District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr.

Bishop Robert McManus of the Diocese of Worcester removed Dongor from office when the accusations surfaced and has requested the Vatican defrock Dongor.

"Realistically, the point is, wherever he is, he does not have the authority to be acting as a priest," diocese spokesman Ray Delisle said.

Dongor was arraigned in Fitchburg District Court on Sept. 10 and released on a promise that he return for his next scheduled court date Oct. 25. However, he did not appear.

He is charged with larceny over $250 and possession of child pornography.

Dongor allegedly admitted to a state trooper investigating allegations of child pornography on three of the priest's computers that he had been taking $40 to $60 from the parish's cash drawer to send to his family in the Philippines.

He also allegedly admitted having 20-25 images of child pornography on his computers that he got through an Internet site, according to a court document.

Woman in crash denies driving drunk

FITCHBURG -- The 22-year-old woman pulled from a fiery crash on Lunenburg Street early Saturday morning told officers "she would never drive drunk," according to police reports.

Mary E. Heline, of 102 Bridle Cross Road, crashed her 1999 Audi into a pole at the Fitchburg-Lunenburg line. Off-duty state Trooper Dan Jones saw Heline driving at an estimated 70 mph and losing control of her car. Jones rushed to the scene and helped her out of the vehicle, which was on fire, then noticed that her passenger, Robert Farrell, 23, was unconscious in the front seat. Jones pulled Farrell from the car and dragged him to safety.

Heline admitted to drinking two martinis but denied she was impaired, according to Officer James Arciprete. She was charged with operating under the influence of alcohol, a marked-lanes violation and speeding in violation of a special regulation. She was released on her own recognizance and is due back in court May 8.

Stop leads to multiple charges

FITCHBURG -- Deputy Police Chief Phil Kearns was fueling his unmarked department vehicle at a Main Street gas station early Saturday morning when he reported seeing a vehicle without a proper inspection sticker, Sgt. Glenn Fossa said Monday.

Kearns approached the driver, Justin Gove, 21, of Leominster, who said he had just purchased the 2002 Chevrolet Malibu but was unable to provide registration documents or a title for the car. Gove also allegedly acknowledged that his license was suspended.

A subsequent search revealed Gove was in possession of a historic, Red Comet, glass fire extinguisher that had been reported stolen from an Upham Street business last Wednesday. The device, which contains a potentially lethal chemical, was concealed by a sock and hidden in a backpack, Fossa said. Gove said he got the device from his father and planned to sell it on eBay.

Gove's court file included a two-page driving record with incidents dating back to 2008. He was arraigned Monday on charges of operating after license suspension and driving an unregistered car. His bail on an unrelated case was revoked and he is due back in court May 3.

OUI charged in Lunenburg accident

LUNENBURG -- An Ayer man who was driving in the wrong lane on Reservoir Road before crashing into an oncoming SUV in January was arraigned Monday on his second drunken-driving charge.

Mark E. Dee, 32, had to be extricated from his 2007 Toyota Corolla, which had extensive front-end damage after he crashed into a Honda CR-V in a curved area of the road on Jan. 15. The woman driving the SUV said Dee was driving the wrong way in her lane when she came around the curve, and she tried to avoid him but was unable to, Officer Jack Hebert reported.

Firefighters pulled Dee from his car, which smelled strongly of alcohol even from several feet away, Hebert wrote. There were a dozen empty beer cans and two unopened beers inside the car, as well as equipment for ice fishing, Hebert reported. A check of Dee's history revealed a 1997 conviction for operating under the influence of alcohol in Leominster.

Dee was arraigned in Fitchburg District Court on a charge of OUI alcohol (second offense), and was cited for negligent operation and failure to drive in the right lane. He was released on his own recognizance and scheduled to return to court May 8.

Police: Suspect beat woman holding baby

FITCHBURG -- A Water Street man who allegedly punched and scratched a 21-year-old woman while she held her 1-year-old baby was arraigned Monday on a charge of assault and battery, and was released on his own recognizance.

Eugene Brown, 37, of 212 Water St., reportedly began fighting with the woman March 1 when a verbal argument escalated. The apartment was in "absolute disarray" when Officer Ryan Keenan responded to a 911 call. Keenan said the woman had a bloody scratch on her neck and said she was holding her son throughout the altercation. Brown left the area and, a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Keenan filed a report with the Department of Children and Families.

Officer allegedly hit during patient's fit

LEOMINSTER -- A 29-year-old Mount Pleasant Avenue woman threw a fit at HealthAlliance Hospital and kicked a police officer early Sunday morning, according to a Leominster District Court document.

Nadine Race, 24 Mount Pleasant Ave., Unit 3, was treated for an undisclosed ailment at the hospital but refused to leave at 12:42 a.m., the court document said. Hospital officials called police to remove her.

"Race became angry and began kicking and screaming," the court document said. "Hospital staff assisted as we gave Race many attempts to calm down and leave the hospital."

She continued kicking and screaming and finally landed a punch to Officer Michael Kochanski, according to the report. She was charged with disorderly conduct and assault and battery on a police officer.

Police: Fight ends in attempted murder

LEOMINSTER -- An argument between a boyfriend and girlfriend turned violent, and the man was charged with attempted murder Sunday morning, according to a Leominster District Court document.

Witnesses reported seeing Joel Gomez, 21, of 33 Pearl St., Fitchburg, attacking his 21-year-old girlfriend in the parking lot behind Fat Boy's at 225 Lancaster St., about 10:30 a.m.

Gomez allegedly threw his victim to the ground repeatedly, according to the court document, which added that he picked the woman up off the ground by the neck and threw her back down, then grabbed her by the shirt and threw her down. Then he pushed her to the ground, according to the document.

Judge Mark E. Noonan ordered Gomez set a $5,000 cash bail or $50,000 surety. He is scheduled to return to court April 13.

Police: Suspect beat 67-year-old Fitchburg man and stole his car

FITCHBURG -- A Fitchburg man was held on $10,000 bail Monday at his arraignment on charges that he assaulted a 67-year-old man, threatened him and stole his car in February.

Police were led to the alleged car theft when the vehicle was believed to be involved in a subsequent robbery in Leominster, according to court documents. Its owner, who lives in Fitchburg, identified Jason W. Beauvais -- whom he had seen in his building before -- as the man who asked to borrow his phone twice on Feb. 14.

The first time, the man gave Beauvais a cup of coffee after letting him use his phone to call his sister. The second time, in the hallway outside the alleged victim's apartment, the older man accidentally dropped his car keys and bent to pick them up, when Beauvais allegedly hit him in the abdomen and showed him the handle of a weapon tucked into his pants, Detective David Daigle said. He threatened to kill the older man, Daigle's report said.

Beauvais then grabbed the keys and took off with the victim's car.

On March 7, the victim was questioned about how the vehicle was stolen. He said he'd recognized Beauvais as an acquaintance of a woman in his apartment building, and recalled inviting them to a meal one Thanksgiving, "because he believed that no one should be alone on Thanksgiving," Daigle wrote in his report.

Beauvais was charged with larceny of a motor vehicle, armed robbery, assault and battery on a person over 60 and threatening to commit a crime. His next court date is scheduled for May 3.