Sentencing Day for Priest, Lay Teacher in Sex Abuse Case

By Tony Hanson
CBS Philly
June 12, 2013

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2013/06/12/sentencing-day-for-priest-lay-teacher-in-sex-abuse-case/


PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - This is sentencing day for a priest and former lay teacher convicted of sexually assaulting the same 5th and 6th grade boy at St. Jerome’s in Philadelphia in 1999 and 2000.

The prosecution is expected to argue for lengthy prison terms for Father Charles Engelhardt and former lay teacher Bernard Shero. They were convicted of sexually assaulting the same boy assaulted by another now defrocked priest, Edward Avery, who pleaded guilty last year (see related story)

Even with conviction, defense attorney Michael McGovern has maintained Father Engelhardt is not guilty and he’s said he will fight this injustice.

This is part of the ongoing clergy sexual abuse investigation. Monsignor William Lynn was convicted and sentenced to prison last year for allowing Avery, a known predator, to remain in ministry and other church officials have been implicated in a decades long coverup.