Jury Selection Slated for Priest Accused of Sex Tourism

Washington Times
September 7, 2015

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/sep/7/jury-selection-slated-for-priest-accused-of-sex-to/

Jury selection is scheduled to begin Tuesday in western Pennsylvania for the federal trial of a suspended Roman Catholic priest accused of having traveled to Honduras to have sex with poor street children during missionary trips.

Federal prosecutors in Johnstown accuse The Rev. Joseph Maurizio Jr. of molesting three boys and possessing child pornography. The 69-year-old priest is also accused of funneling $8,000 through a charity to facilitate the trips, which ended in 2009.

Attorneys say they expect the trial to last several weeks and include witnesses flown in from Central America to testify with the aid of translators.

Defense attorney Stephen Passarello has said he plans to call witnesses to challenge the allegations. He also says the FBI?investigated the same matter five years ago and never filed charges.