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Franciscan Brother By Andy Nelesen Green Bay Press-Gazett July 29, 2004 A Franciscan brother was charged Wednesday with felony possession of child pornography after authorities allegedly found thousands of images of young boys on his computer and in the church's friary in Pulaski. Rudolph Stefan Nocinski, 63, was arrested in June after a computer repair technician found 189 digital photos of young boys, some engaged in sex acts, on Nocinski's computer, a criminal complaint filed Wednesday in Brown County Circuit Court said. According to the complaint, the technician turned on the computer — which had stopped receiving e-mail — and saw a screensaver with pornographic images. He called police. Pulaski Police Chief Randal Dunford was alerted to the find at the Green Bay repair facility and obtained a search warrant for Nocinski's Pulaski Street residence. A search uncovered 2,508 pornographic images involving children between the ages of 10 and 17, 33 VHS tapes and DVDs and e-mail messages in which Nocinski asked others for images of young boys. According to the complaint, Nocinski said the images aroused him."Nocinski stated that he did have thoughts of having sex with children, but 'in reality (he) knows that it's wrong,'" the complaint said. Church officials said Nocinski has not recently been involved in any public ministry. "We are saddened to learn about the events that surround Brother Sebastian Nocinski, also known as Rudolph Nocinski," Father Tom Luczak, provincial minister of the Franciscan Friars, said in a statement released Wednesday. "Because this is an on-going investigation, it would not be appropriate for us to make any further comments." The Assumption Blessed Virgin Mary Province of the Franciscan Friars was founded in Pulaski in the late 1880s. Nocinski has been with the order more than 35 years. According to documents filed with the search warrant served on Nocinski's residence, he possessed electronic components to duplicate videotapes and had a photo-quality printer. Police also seized dozens of videos with titles such as "Circus Boys," "Little Warriors," "Return to Innocence" and "Boys Behaving Badly." In addition to the pornographic images, police seized photos of Pulaski High School wrestlers, soccer players and band members. Nocinski was jailed June 23. He was freed a day later after posting a signature bond, essentially a promise to return to court. Nocinski is due back on Aug. 16 for a preliminary hearing. If convicted on the lone felony charge, Nocinski could receive up to 3� years in prison. |
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