Local Priest Pleads Guilty to Corrupting Minors

By Rebekah Brown
Citizens Voice
January 22, 2014

http://citizensvoice.com/news/local-priest-pleads-guilty-to-corrupting-minors-1.1621143


A suspended priest, accused of performing sex acts on a 15-year-old boy, pleaded guilty Wednesday to felony corruption of minors.

The Rev. William Jeffrey Paulish, 57, 450 3rd St., Blakely, entered the plea before Lackawanna County Judge Michael Barrasse. He was arrested in September after he was caught in his car with a 15-year-old boy in the parking lot at Penn State Worthington Scranton campus.

The felony charge carries a maximum sentence of seven years, according to Paulish's attorney, Bernard Brown, who said his client is remorseful for his actions.

Paulish served in several local parishes, including as assistant pastor at St. Cecilia's Parish in Exeter (1992), assistant pastor at Most Precious Blood Parish in Hazleton (1992-93); chaplain at Little Flower Manor in Wilkes-Barre (1994-2000); in residence at St. Cecilia's Parish (2006); administrator at St. Elizabeth Parish in Bear Creek (2008-11); and pastor at St. Elizabeth Parish (2010-11). At the time of his arrest, the Rev. Paulish was serving as assistant pastor at Prince of Peace Church in Old Forge.

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