Former Priest from Novi Gets over 15 Years Prison for Trading Child Pornography

By Khalil AlHajal
The MLive
January 23, 2014

http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2014/01/former_priest_from_novi_gets_o.html

A former priest who pleaded guilty to distributing child pornography last year was sentenced to more than 15 years in prison Thursday, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.

Timothy Murray, 63, of Novi, was accused of using peer-to-peer software to trade child pornography.

Prosecutors say home was searched after he traded images with an undercover federal agent and over 650 movies and over 450 photos of child pornography were found.

He pleaded guilty in July 2013 to one count of distributing child pornography and one count of possession child pornography. U.S. District Judge Victoria Roberts sentenced him Thursday to 188 months in federal prison.

Murray in the past served as Catholic priest under the Archdiocese of Detroit before being removed from a Livonia church in 2004 over allegations of sexual abuse involving a young boy in the 1980s, according to the U.S. attorney's office.

Murray was never charged because the statute of limitations had expired, according to the Associated Press.

Roberts called Murray's crimes "stomach-churning," reported the A.P.

"It's difficult for me to believe you didn't know what you were doing was criminal."

Murray claimed he did not know he was acting as a distributor.

"The hands-on sexual abuse that led to his removal from public ministry by the Catholic church had long-lasting effects on the defendant’s prior victim," said U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade in a statement. "Similarly, the victims depicted in his extensive collection of child pornography suffered greatly not only at the hands of their abusers, but by those, like the defendant, who collect and continue to view the permanent depictions of their abuse.”

Psychologist who evaluated Murray last year filed documents in court that indicated Murray blamed celibacy in the Catholic Church for his urges.

kalhajal@mlive.com