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	Priest Charged in Alleged Sex Crime By Richard Burgess Daily Advertiser May 10, 2002 ABBEVILLE -- Prosecutors charged an Alexandria-area Catholic priest with sexual battery Thursday for alleged inappropriate contact with a 16-year-old boy while spending the night at his family's Abbeville home last year. The Rev. John Wesley Andries was the pastor of St. Margaret Church in Boyce when the teen-ager's family complained to the Diocese of Alexandria last June. Andries' status could not be confirmed Thursday. Anthony Fontana, an attorney representing the boy's family, said he was told by diocesan officials that Andries has been suspended. Calls to the Diocese of Alexandria bishop were not returned Thursday. The sexual misconduct allegation is the second against Andries, who is one of three south Louisiana priests named in sex-related scandals this year. Fontana has said that the 16-year-old's family had invited the priest last June to spend the night at their home, where he stayed in an extra bed in their son's room. Fontana said the boy woke up to find fluid all over his back and bed. District Attorney Michael Harson of the 15th Judicial District said Thursday that his office received the results last week of a DNA test on a bedspread from the boy's room. He has said the test could be compared with a semen sample taken from Andries. Harson would not comment on the results. He said Andries has agreed to turn himself in before noon today. The Diocese of Alexandria has acknowledged that Andries was suspended from the priesthood after a previous allegation of sexual misconduct but was allowed to return after psychological testing and counseling, according to published reports. The diocese has not elaborated on the previous allegation. The criminal charge against Andries on Thursday comes after the Rev. Joseph Alexander, 69, was removed from St. Anthony Catholic Church in Eunice when he admitted to sexual impropriety with a male teen-ager about 40 years ago while serving as a monk in Kentucky. Reports also surfaced this year that the Rev. Norman J. Rogge, 75, who had been serving in recent years at St. Charles Borromeo in Grand Coteau, had been convicted in 1985 for sexual abuse of a boy in Florida. Church officials have not given a clear answer on when Rogge left Grand Coteau but said he is no longer acting as a priest. See PRIEST on Page 6A Continued from Page 1A week of a DNA test on a bedspread from the boy's room. He has said the test could be compared with a semen sample taken from Andries. Harson would not comment on the results. He said Andries has agreed to turn himself in before noon today. The Diocese of Alexandria has acknowledged that Andries was suspended from the priesthood after a previous allegation of sexual misconduct but was allowed to return after psychological testing and counseling, according to published reports. The diocese has not elaborated on the previous allegation. The criminal charge against Andries on Thursday comes after the Rev. Joseph Alexander, 69, was removed from St. Anthony Catholic Church in Eunice when he admitted to sexual impropriety with a male teen-ager about 40 years ago while serving as a monk in Kentucky. Reports also surfaced this year that the Rev. Norman J. Rogge, 75, who had been serving in recent years at St. Charles Borromeo in Grand Coteau, had been convicted in 1985 for sexual abuse of a boy in Florida. Church officials have not given a clear answer on when Rogge left Grand Coteau but said he is no longer acting as a priest.
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