PENNSYLVANIA
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
September 25, 2014
By Torsten Ove / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Federal agents have arrested a Catholic priest in the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese on charges of engaging in illicit sex with minors in foreign countries and possession of child pornography, following an investigation into his travels to Honduras and elsewhere.
The Rev. Joseph Maurizio Jr. appeared today in U.S. District Court in Johnstown for an initial appearance hearing before a magistrate, who ordered him detained pending a detention hearing Sept. 29.
Agents with U.S. attorney’s Crimes Against Children Task Force on Sept. 12 raided Our Lady Queen of Angels chapel and rectory and Rev. Maurizio’s farm in Windber and seized computers, thumb drives, tapes and other media items.
According to an affidavit by U.S. Homeland Security Agent Molly Rock, agents found child pornography on a hard drive seized from the church rectory.
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