PENNSYLVANIA
Daily American
By JUDY D.J. ELLICH judye@dailyamerican.com
JOHNSTOWN – The Rev. Joseph Maurizio Jr. was sentenced to 200 months (16.6 years) in federal prison and a $50,000 fine Wednesday for sexually assaulting two young boys in an orphanage in Honduras.
The 70-year-old priest did not speak at his sentencing in front of U.S. District Judge Kim Gibson, but numerous friends, family and parishioners did, for nearly two hours.
“I’ve always been proud of my brother,” his sister, Angela Maurizio, of Windber, told Gibson. “I am not ashamed of saying who my brother is.”
She and several others said they have seen Maurizio do good over the years, both in the military and in the priesthood.
They all told the court they believed he is innocent of he crimes he was sentenced for conducting.
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