Former Altar Boy Says Orthodox Priest Sexually Assaulted Him

By Judy Harrison
Bangor Daily News
March 16, 2015

http://bangordailynews.com/2015/03/16/news/bangor/former-altar-boy-says-orthodox-priest-sexually-assaulted-him/

Adam Metropoulos, a former Greek Orthodox priest who is being tried on four counts of sexual abuse of a minor, talks with his defense attorney Marvin Glazier before his trail began on Monday, March 16, at the Penobscot Judicial Center. Metropoulos pleaded guilty to two other charges; possession of child pornography and violation of privacy before the trail. Buy Photo

Superior Court Justice Ann Murray listens to opening statements from prosecutor Michael Roberts, deputy district attorney for Penobscot County, at the trial of Adam Metropoulos, a former Greek Orthodox priest, who is being tried on four counts of sexual abuse of a minor at the Penobscot Judicial Center. Before the trial began on Monday, March 16, Metropoulos pleaded guilty to two other charges; possession of child pornography and violation of privacy. Buy Photo

Adam Metropoulos enters a courtroom at the Penobscot Judicial Center on Monday, March 16. The former Greek Orthodox priest is being tried on four counts of sexual abuse of a minor. Metropoulos pleaded guilty to two other charges; possession of child pornography and violation of privacy before the trail. Buy Photo

Adam Metropoulos, 52, of Bangor.

A former altar server at St. George Greek Orthodox Church testified Monday at the Penobscot Judicial Center that then-priest Adam Metropoulos, 52, of Bangor sexually assaulted him repeatedly at the church rectory in 2006 and 2007.

The man, who is now 23 and lives in Vermont, is not being identified by the Bangor Daily News because he might be the victim of a sex crime.

He told Superior Court Justice Ann Murray that he was an altar server from age 10 until he was 19 at the church on Sanford Street in Bangor. Because his family lived in Hancock County, he often spent the night at the rectory located on Fourteenth Street in Bangor. He said the assaults most often took place during Lent because there are additional services in the Orthodox church.

The Vermont man said that he would sleep in a spare bedroom or on a futon in the living room. Metropoulos often slept in bed with him, sometimes, a second boy slept with them as well, he testified.

The former altar boy was the first witness in Metropoulos’ jury-waived trial that is expected to conclude Tuesday with the former priest taking the stand in his own defense.

Before his trial on four counts of sexual abuse of a minor began, Metropoulos pleaded guilty to one count each of possession of sexually explicit materials, a felony, and violation of privacy, a misdemeanor. There is no plea deal on the charges, Michael Roberts, deputy district attorney for Penobscot County, told Murray.

By pleading guilty, Metropoulos admitted that he had sexually explicit photos of prepubescent children on his computers. He also admitted to surreptitiously photographing a woman taking a shower in his bathroom a few days before his Sept. 15 arrest.

The Vermont man, who had told only one friend about the alleged sexual abuse, called Bangor police detective Tim Shaw after his former priest’s arrest was covered by local media, the prosecutor said in his opening statement Monday.

The man testified that he did not tell his family what had happened because “it seemed like it would destroy everyone’s life.” The former altar server said he decided to come forward because “it was wrong and it needed to be dealt with so I could move on with my life.”

The alleged victim told the judge that when he was assaulted he pretended to be asleep.

“I was keeping my eyes shut and my breathing regular trying to figure out what was going on,” he said of the first time Metropoulos alleged sexually assaulted him in summer 2005.

He testified that the abuse stopped when he was 16 but he and Metropoulos never discussed it.

In the first of two interviews with Detective Shaw, Metropoulos admitted that he touched the former altar server but said it was over his pajama bottoms and he denied sexually assaulting anyone.

Metropoulos looked different Monday than at previous court proceedings. His hair is now shorter and he wore new or different glasses. He also had shaved his graying goatee.

He has been held at the Penobscot County Jail since his arrest unable to post bail of $50,000 cash or $100,000 surety. Roberts said outside the courthouse after Metropoulos’ first court appearance in September that the high bail was warranted, in part, because of the suspended priest’s 1983 conviction on a sex charge in Michigan when he was 19.

Metropoulos complained of the high bail before his trial began Monday. He said that he had received written death threats from strangers and described his relationship with other inmates and guards as “difficult.”

The bishop of the Greek Orthodox diocese that includes Maine suspended the priest of St. George church the day after his arrest. He is expected to be removed from ministry due to his possession of child pornography conviction even if cleared of the other charges.

If convicted, Metropoulos faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000 on the abuse charges. He faces the same penalties on the possession of child pornography charges, a Class C crime, and up to a year in prison and a fine of up to $2,000 on the violation of privacy charge, a Class D crime.

The time he has been held awaiting trial would be applied to his sentence.

To reach a sexual assault advocate, call the Statewide Sexual Assault Crisis and Support Line at 800-871-7741, TTY 888-458-5599. This free and confidential 24-hour service is accessible from anywhere in Maine. Calls are automatically routed to the closest sexual violence service provider.