OAKLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP (MI)
The Oakland Press [Troy MI]
August 26, 2021
By Aileen Wingblad
A former priest accused of sexually abusing boys more than 40 years ago waived his right to a preliminary exam in Southfield’s 50th District Court on Thursday, which sends the case to Oakland County Court for possible trial.
Gary Berthiaume, 80, who served at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Parish in Farmington and elsewhere, is charged with two counts of gross indecency between males – committing/procuring. He also faces charges of second-degree criminal sexual conduct that allegedly happened in Farmington. Berthiaume waived his right to a preliminary exam for those charges last month.
All charges involve alleged victims between the ages of 13 and 15, for crimes that allegedly happened in the 1970s.
Berthiaume was arrested last September at his home in Warrendale, Illinois following an investigation by the Michigan Attorney General’s Office. He’s one of 11 individuals with connections to the Catholic Church who have been charged with crimes by the Michigan AG’s office following the seizure of a vast amount of documents in 2018.
Berthiaume’s arraignment in circuit court for the Southfield charges is pending. His next court appearance for the Farmington charges is Sept. 13.