By Rafael Romo
CBS 2
May 6, 2006
http://cbs2chicago.com/local/local_story_125215424.html
(CBS) Chicago - A priest already charged with the abuse of three boys has been charged with two more counts of criminal sexual abuse. This time, the alleged victims are both under the age of 12.
CBS 2's Rafael Romo reports Daniel McCormack is free on $700,000 bond. He was released into the custody of his brother, who is a Chicago police officer.
He was a Catholic priest and a teacher at St. Agatha School on the West Side, where he also served as a coach for the basketball team.
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| McCormack leaves court Saturday afternoon. CBS |
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| Rev. Daniel McCormack CBS |
Prosecutors say it was this last position that Daniel McCormack used to abuse more than a dozen children under his supervision.
"The allegations are that the offender fondled the genitals of this victim. At that time, the victim was on the basketball team at Presentation School," said Assistant State's Attorney Kathleen Muldoon.
This is the latest in a series of allegations against the former priest.
There was no comment from Daniel McCormack as he stepped out of a Cook County court Saturday afternoon. His lawyer also declined to speak.
Earlier this year, McCormack was arrested after he was accused of abusing three boys. On Saturday, we was charged with molesting two more.
"The offenses occurred on a daily basis from approximately Sept. 1, 2005, continuing through early January of 2006," Muldoon said.
The two new counts McCormack faces are for the felony of aggravated criminal sexual abuse.
Prosecutors say the victims were two boys, ages 10 and 11. His bond was raised from $200,000 to $700,000 on Saturday.
McCormack is accused of fondling the 11-year-old boy, who was a student at Presentation School on a regular basis, according to an assistant state's attorney.
He is accused of fondling the 10-year-old boy on one occasion in the rectory of St. Agatha Church, 3147 W. Douglas Blvd, the assistant state's attorney said. The boy played on the basketball team McCormick coached.
With the charges filed Saturday, prosecutors say the former priest might have abused at least five school boys since 2003.
McCormack pleaded not guilty in March to charges that he molested three boys between September 2001 and January 2005. Those boys were eight, nine and 11 years old at the time.
"This is an ongoing investigation. There are many aspects to each of these victims that come forth and there is no quick resolution," Muldoon said.
He already faces a trial for the first three cases of sexual abuse.
If convicted of the new charges, he faces a prison sentence of three to seven years.
In a statement released Saturday night, the Archdiocese of Chicago said:
"The new charges may have resulted from the Archdiocese's attempt to encourage victims to come forward with any information. We continue to ask anyone who has any information about Father McCormack or any other priest to come forward so the proper authorities can investigate."
McCormack has been instructed by the judge in the case not to have contact with anyone under the age of 18.
The Archdiocese has been criticized for not removing McCormack until he was charged in January, months after one of the allegations was made against him.
Francis Cardinal George has apologized for not removing McCormack when the allegations first surfaced last summer.
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