Former Aurora Priest Pleads Not Guilty to Sex Abuse of Two Children

The Beacon-News
September 29, 2016

http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/aurora-beacon-news/news/ct-abn-former-priest-sex-charge-st-1002-20160930-story.html

Alfredo Pedraza Arias (Kane County Sheriff's Office)

A former Aurora priest has pleaded not guilty to charges he sexually abused two children over a three-year span, according to court records.

Alfred Pedraza Arias, 50, is accused in a five-count indictment from March with aggravated sexual abuse between 2012 and 2014 involving the children who were both under the age of 13. Prosecutors have alleged Arias fondled the children at Sacred Heart Church in Aurora, as well as at one youth's home. Arias, who was arraigned Thursday, remains free on $50,000 bail with a court date set for Nov. 18.

Arias was charged in February and arrested in Rockford on a warrant. He now is listed with a home address in Rockford.

The Rockford Diocese, which covers Kane County, released a statement at the time which explained Arias had been out of the ministry since October 2014 amid an investigation by law enforcement and the diocese into two allegations against him. Aside from Sacred Heart, Arias worked at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Aurora and Hispanic Ministry in DeKalb, the diocese previously stated.

Dan Campana is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News