Fairfield Priest Found Guilty in Sex Abuse Trial

By Kelly Taylor
Fox 19
September 20, 2013

http://www.fox19.com/story/23488091/jury-returns-guilty-verdict-for-cincinnati-priest-robert-poandl

CINCINNATI, OH (FOX19) -

A Cincinnati area priest has been found guilty of sexually abusing a 10-year-old boy he took to West Virginia more than two decades ago.

Federal jurors returned a guilty verdict Friday afternoon for Robert Poandl, 72, of the Fairfield-based Glenmary Home Missioners. According to trial testimony, in August 1991, Poandl transported the boy from Cincinnati to Spencer, West Virginia where he sexually assaulted the child.

The crime was not disclosed until the victim came forward in 2009.

A federal grand jury indicted Poandl, known as 'Father Bob', in November 2012. FBI agents arrested him at the Glenmary Missioners. He has been on house arrest with electronic monitoring since his arrest.

The Roman Catholic priest pleaded not guilty to one count of transporting a minor in interstate commerce with the intent of engaging him in sex. 

The jury deliberated for a couple of hours Thursday in the case and resumed Friday morning. 

According to prosecutors, the charge carries a possible sentence of up to 10 years in prison. There will be a pre-sentence investigation before a sentencing date is set.