Former Northwoods Catholic priest convicted of sexual abuse to live in Merrill soon

By Natalie Brophy
Wausau Daily Herald
July 9, 2019

https://bit.ly/2S4mgJP

David J. Malsch

A former Northwoods Catholic priest released from custody in June will soon live in Merrill. 

Beginning Saturday, David J. Malsch, 80, will live at N2345 Memorial Drive in Merrill, according to the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office. He previously lived at N4883A Lilac Lane in Gleason when he was released June 19. 

Malsch, who was ordained as a Catholic priest in 1967, is accused of sexually abusing at least three young boys while he worked at churches in Superior and Tomahawk, according to bishopaccountability.org, a website that tracks abuse by Catholic priests. 

In 1993, he was convicted of child enticement in Marathon County. In that case, Malsch took a 14-year-old with learning disabilities to a hotel in Rib Mountain, gave him alcohol and took nude photos of him. Malsch also showed the boy pornography, according to Wausau Daily Herald archives. 

Malsch was civilly committed in 2001 under Wisconsin's sexual predator law and sent to a treatment facility for "troubled priests" in Missouri, according to bishopaccountability.org. Malsch stayed at the center until 2003, until he was caught with child pornography in his room and sentenced to nine years in federal prison. He was removed from the priesthood in 2005, according bishopaccountability.org.  

After serving his prison sentence, Malsch was still under commitment in Wisconsin. Marathon County Judge Gregory Huber approved a release plan for Malsch in May. 

Malsch has been on intensive supervision and GPS monitoring since his release and he is required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life, according to the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office.