Priests Face New Charges of Abusing Boys in P.G.
More Men Claim They Were Molested by 3

By Debbi Wilgoren
Washington Post
March 15, 1995

Four more men have told authorities they were sexually abused in the 1970s by three priests already charged with molesting other alleged victims at Prince George's County Catholic churches.

Prince George's County State's Attorney Jack Johnson announced indictments yesterday against four priests who were arrested last month on child abuse and other charges. The accusations raise from five to nine the number of men willing to testify that they were molested by at least one of the priests when they were children.

"It's important that we move forward on this case, to send a message to the community that we intend to be vigorous in the prosecution of all crimes," Johnson said.

Those charged are the Revs. Thomas S. Schaefer, 69; Alphonsus Smith, 70; Edward B. Pritchard, 50; and Edward T. Hartel, 58.

The sexual assaults allegedly occurred at the Church of St. Matthias in Lanham from 1972 to 1979, St. John the Evangelist Church in Clinton from 1974 to 1982 and Our Lady of Sorrow Church in Takoma Park from 1982 to 1987. The alleged victims say they were 11 to 17 years old when they were abused.

The priests have been charged with abusing a total of five youths. The grand jury includes those charges and added charges against Schaefer, Smith and Pritchard involving a total of four other alleged victims.

The four priests were removed from their assignments in January, after a 34-year-old former St. Matthias altar boy told the Archdiocese of Washington that he had been molested by them in the 1970s.

The archdiocese said the priests admitted the abuse when confronted by church officials.

They were stripped of their church authority and sent for counseling.

Attorneys for the priests, all of whom were released without bond after surrendering to Prince George's authorities last month, have refused to let their clients be interviewed by The Washington Post.

Since the archdiocese announced the priests' dismissals on Feb. 5, at least three dozen people have told a Chicago-based support group that helped the first victim that they, too, were abused.

Johnson said yesterday's indictments covered all accusers whom law enforcement investigators had located and found credible and who were willing to testify in court.

The grand jury indictments charged Schaefer with eight counts of child abuse and unnatural or perverted sex acts with a minor, both felonies. He is accused of molesting two youths at St. Matthias, where he was pastor from 1972 to 1975, and two at St. John, where he was pastor from 1975 to 1982.

Smith was indicted on four counts each of child abuse and unnatural or perverted sex acts with a minor and one count of a second-degree sexual offense. He is accused of molesting one youth at St. John, where he was pastor from 1972 to 1975, two youths at St. Matthias, where he was pastor from 1975 to 1982, and one youth at Our Lady of Sorrow, where he was pastor from 1982 to 1990.

Pritchard was indicted on three charges each of child abuse and unnatural or perverted acts with a minor. He is accused of molesting three youths at St. Matthias, where he was associate pastor from 1974 to 1976, spanning the tenures of Schaefer and Smith.

Hartel was indicted on one count each of child abuse and unnatural or perverted sex acts with a minor. He is accused of one incident, involving the former St. Matthias altar boy who came forward in January. He was assigned to St. Mary of the Mills parish in Laurel at the time.

Johnson said the priests will be arraigned later this month and scheduled for separate trials. Convictions on the child abuse charges could carry sentences of up to 15 years each.