Former Harford Priest Accused of Making Child Pornography

By Erika Butler
Baltimore Sun/ The Aegis
September 27, 2017

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/harford/aegis/ph-ag-child-porn-charges-0922-story.html

Fernando Cristancho, a former priest at St. Ignatius Church in Hickory, is charged with making and possessing child pornography. (Harford County Sheriff's Office / Baltimore Sun)

A Bel Air man, who years ago served as a priest at St. Ignatius Church in Hickory, has been charged with making and possessing pornographic photos involving young boys, according to court records.

Fernando Cristancho, 61, of the 800 block of Hayden Way, served as a priest from 1999 to 2002 at St. Ignatius Church in Hickory, according to a statement on the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s website, www.archbalt.org.

Members of the Harford County Child Advocacy Center, which investigates allegations of child abuse, executed a search and seizure warrant Sept. 19 at Cristancho’s home, according to charging documents.

Detectives found photos of young boys on Cristancho’s electronic devices, including his cell phone, a computer in the house and on a Secure Digital (SD) memory card in a safe, according to the charging documents.

After his arrest, he was taken to the Harford County Detention Center, where he is being held without bail, according to online court records. He did not have an attorney listed in court records.

Cristancho’s assignment at St. Ignatius was his last as a priest, according to the archdiocese.

“In July 2002, Cristancho refused an assignment to another parish from Cardinal William H. Keeler, then Archbishop of Baltimore, which led to the revocation of his faculties to minister in the Archdiocese of Baltimore on July 8, 2002,” according to a statement posted on the Archdiocese’s website, www.archbalt.org. “Cristancho has had no assignment and has not been permitted to function as priest in the Archdiocese of Baltimore since July 2002,” according to the statement.