Priest Faces Sodomy Charges Involving Child on Cathedral Basilica Grounds

KMOV
April 18, 2014

http://www.kmov.com/news/crime/Police-to-seek-sex-charges-against-local-priest-Friday.html

Authorities have issued first-degree statutory sodomy charges against Rev. Xiu Hui "Joseph" Jiang, 31, on Friday.

Father Joseph Jiang was arrested Thursday night and, according to police, the incidents took place on the grounds of the Cathedral Basilica, where Jiang served as an associate priest.

Jiang is accused of having deviate sexual intercourse with a male victim under 14 between July 2011 and August 2012.

A statement posted on the website for the Archdiocese of St. Louis says that the allegation against Jiang “was reported through the Missouri Child Abuse and Neglect Hot line by a family who over the past year has been pursuing a claim against the archdiocese related to their child being bullied by other students”.

The statement also says that, “the family had never claimed that their child was abused by a priest until this week”.

According to the statement, Jiang’s canonical privileges have been revoked while the investigation continues.

Jiang was previously charged with sexually abusing a minor, and witness tampering after he was accused of molesting a teenage girl in Old Monroe, Mo. in 2013. Authorities alleged he tried to pay the victim’s family $20,000 in hush money. Those charges were dropped in November.

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