Published: May 01, 2008 09:57 pm      

Priest gets probation in jail sex case

EBENSBURG — A Franciscan priest charged with having sexual contact with an inmate at SCI-Cresson received 23 months’ probation Thursday in Cambria County Court.

The Rev. Gerard M. Connolly, 67, was put on probation under the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program for first-time offenders.

He will be able to clear his criminal record if he does not get into trouble again while on probation.

Connolly was charged with smuggling alcohol for the prisoner and having sexual contact with him during counseling sessions over a six-month period beginning in summer 2006.

The priest, through a contract his order had with the state, was chaplain from March 2006 until March 2007.

Connolly, who lives at Mount Carmel Church in Altoona, was pastor at churches in Windber and Northern Cambria early in his career.

During the course of the case, the victim, William Victor, also became a defendant – for trying to extort hush money from the chaplain.

Victor pleaded guilty in February and was sentenced to two years’ probation to be served after his release from state prison. He is serving 42 to 86 years for sexually assaulting a woman at gunpoint and trying to rob her and her husband at a Pocono Mountain resort.

Victor, appearing nervous and speaking in a hushed voice, said Connolly took advantage of him, knowing that he had been molested by another priest as a boy.

During the encounters, Connolly “joked about how many Our Fathers and Hail Marys he has to say to be forgiven,” Victor testified.

Victor said he has tried to forgive Connolly, but can’t.

Neither Connolly nor his attorney, Thomas Foor of Altoona, spoke about the incidents.



In a nutshell

• The Rev. Gerard M. Connolly, 67, receives 23 months’ probation after being charged with smuggling alcohol for an inmate and having sexual contact with him during counseling sessions in a six-month period.

• Judge Gerard Long initially said he would terminate the priest’s probation early within six months but changed his mind after hearing the victim’s emotional testimony.