Former Priest Who Allegedly Raped Boy in Big Spring Found Guilty in Dallas

By Audrey Castoreno
NewsWest 9
May 17, 2012

http://www.newswest9.com/story/18509950/former-catholic-priest-who-allegedly-raped-a-boy-in-big-spring-is-found-guilty-in-dallas-for-his-attempted-murder

DALLAS - It took a jury only a few hours to come to their decision of guilty in the murder for hire trial against 52-year-old John Fiala.

According to police, this all began back in 2008 when Fiala met the then 16-year-old in Rock Springs, Texas.

We're told the boy often traveled to Big Spring to visit a girlfriend.

Investigators say Fiala eventually set the boy up in an apartment in Big Spring and even enrolled him in the school district as a homeless person.

The teen's parents became suspicious and called authorities.

The teen told investigators the two had sex but Fiala denied it.

Fiala was arrested in Rock Springs and he was fired from his parish there.

We're told he bonded out of jail and went to Dallas.

That's where Fiala tried to hire an uncover cop to kill the teen, in order to shut him up.

However during his trial, Fiala claimed that he hired the hitman to murder the boy because he thought his own life was in danger.

Testimony in the punishment phase of the trial is now underway.

If convicted in the murder for hire plot, he could face up to life in prison.

Fiala is also charged with raping the teen in Howard County.

No word on if or when he'll be brought back to Big Spring on those charges.