GREENSBURG, Pa. — A retired priest from the Diocese of Greensburg who pleaded guilty to abusing a then 10-year-old boy was sentenced Friday to state prison.
The Rev. John Sweeney will spend 11 1/2 months to five years in prison, a judge ordered. His sentence begins Friday.
BREAKING: Sweeney sentenced to 11 and a half months to 5 yrs in state prison. 5 yrs is the max @WPXI
— Liz Kilmer (@LizKilmerWPXI) December 21, 2018
Sweeney was pastor at St. Margaret Mary in Lower Burrell at the time of the abuse, to which he pleaded guilty in August. He had been charged in 2017.
The boy was in the fourth grade at St. Margaret Mary Catholic School during the 1991-92 school year. Investigators said he was sent to Sweeney for discipline because he had been disruptive on a school bus.
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The judge who sentenced Sweeney told him he abused his authority and “perpetrated a horrific act.”
The victim now serves in the U.S. Coast Guard and was not able to be in court Friday because he is deployed. His brother read a letter on his behalf.
The victim was not able to be in court because he is deployed, serving our nation.
— Liz Kilmer (@LizKilmerWPXI) December 21, 2018
His brother read this letter on his behalf in court: pic.twitter.com/YiKDNdES6g
Sweeney continued to serve as a priest for about 16 years after the abuse.
Sweeney was indicted last year by a statewide investigating grand jury probing the sexual abuse of children by priests and clergy in six Catholic dioceses in Pennsylvania, including the Diocese of Greensburg.
The Diocese of Greensburg released the following statement:
The people of the Diocese of Greensburg pray for all of the survivors of child sexual abuse and want the survivors to know that we always stand ready to help them in their healing. The people of the Diocese of Greensburg also pray for the person who courageously came forward and did the right thing by reporting this abuse, and for all those who have been hurt by sexual abuse in the past.
The Diocese of Greensburg takes the protection of all children, young people and vulnerable adults seriously. Every report of suspected abuse of a child, young person or vulnerable adult — sexual, physical or emotional — that is made to the diocese is immediately reported to the PA ChildLine and the appropriate District Attorney.
The diocese fully cooperated with law enforcement's investigation of Father John T. Sweeney. His priestly faculties were immediately revoked, and he was placed on administrative leave Sept. 21, 2016, after the allegation was received by the diocese. Additionally, he was prohibited from presenting himself as a priest in public, and he was required to avoid any unsupervised contact with minors. He retired Dec. 31, 2016.
All the restrictions remain in place, and the Diocese of Greensburg has started the laicization process to permanently remove him from the priesthood.
This allegation dates to the early 1990s, and Father Sweeney's file contained no prior allegations of sexual misconduct of any kind.
The Diocese of Greensburg reiterates that if anyone suspects that a child, young person or vulnerable adult has been abused by any one at any time, the person should call the PA ChildLine at 1-800-932-0313, no matter when the suspected incident might have occurred.
The diocese continues to educate both children and adults in parishes and schools of the Diocese of Greensburg on how to spot and report suspected abuse.<br/>
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- Several Greensburg priests named in grand jury sex abuse report still living
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