A former Catholic priest in suburban Chicago who was charged with sexually abusing two girls is likely returning to his native Colombia soon after pleading guilty to misdemeanor battery.
The Kane County State's Attorney's office says it agreed to the plea deal Friday after prosecutors analyzed evidence, communicated with the victims' families and received assurances that Alfredo Pedraza-Arias will be "removed from the United States."
A jail official says Pedraza-Arias was released Saturday "to the custody of another agency" but wouldn't elaborate. His attorney says he expects Pedraza-Arias to leave the country soon.
Pedraza-Arias was charged in 2016 with aggravated criminal sexual abuse of two girls younger than 13 after he allegedly abused one of them at Sacred Heart Church in Aurora and the other at her Aurora home.