Former Somerville Priest Arraigned on Molestation Charges

By Auditi Guha
Wicked Local Somerville
September 10, 2012

http://www.wickedlocal.com/somerville/news/x2131921930/Former-Somerville-priest-arraigned-on-molestation-charges#axzz265irs3qi

Rev. Paul A. LaCharite, 65, formerly of St. James Episcopal Church in Somerville, walked out of Somerville District Court with his lawyers after his arraignment on Monday.

Former priest of St. James Episcopal Church in Somerville, Rev. Paul A. LaCharite was issued a $10,000 bail Monday morning at his arraignment for child abuse charges in Somerville District Court and denies the charges.

"Father LaCharite is innocent of these charges," said his defense attorney David Meier to reporters outside the courthouse at 11:45 a.m. as they left. "He is an honest and decent man and he is dedicated to his church and congregation."

LaCharite, 65, is currently affiliated with the Old North Church in Boston and was arrested Friday on on one count of assault to rape a child under 14 and three counts of indecent assault and battery on a child.

“He’s having a very difficult time,” Meier said. “We intend to vigorously defend these charges.”

Meier said his client voluntarily appeared in the Somerville police station Friday to answer to the charges and pointed out that it stems from allegations from 15-16 years ago. The victim, who is now 26 and married with a child, reportedly approached LaCharite two years ago for his daughter’s baptism.

In court Monday, the prosecutor requested that bail be set at $25,000 cash bail with conditions. But Judge Maurice Flynn ordered a $10,000 cash bail with the conditions that he must stay away from the victim’s home and work, have no unsupervised contact with children under the age of 16, surrender his passport, report to probation as deemed, not possess any firearms or dangerous weapons, must refrain from excessive use of alcohol or narcotics without prescription, and abide by any and all restraining orders if applicable.

The police report has been impounded but according to the Middlesex District Attorney’s office, the victim and his family were long time parishioners at the Somerville church where LaCharite was working from 1989 to 2005. In the 1990s, beginning when the victim was in elementary school, the defendant, a priest at the church, allegedly began inappropriately touching the victim in his office. The defendant’s conduct is alleged to have progressed over a 10-year period to include several indecent assault and batteries and assaults with the intent rape a child, with the abuse finally ceasing when the victim was a teenager due to the defendant leaving St. James.

The victim came forward to authorities to reveal the defendant’s alleged long-time abuse of him last week. An investigation was immediately conducted into the allegations and an arrest warrant for the defendant was issued Friday.

“We allege that this defendant, holding a trusted position within the Episcopal Church, indecently assaulted and touched the victim over several years, only ending his 10 year long predatory abuse of the victim when the defendant left the church,” DA Gerry Leone said in a press release. “Our office will continue to prosecute those who harm or exploit children, as they are our most vulnerable victims and most deserving of our protection.”

The investigation remains ongoing. Members of the public who believe that they may have information that could be helpful to the investigation can call Somerville Police at 617-625-1212 x 7220 or the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office Child Abuse Unit at 781-897-8400.