By Dwight Ott
Philadelphia Inquirer
March 11, 2009
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/20090311_Ex-president_of_Ryan_pleads_to_theft.html
The former president of Archbishop Ryan High School faces up to 24 years in prison after pleading guilty to stealing more than $900,000 from the school and his friars order, using some of the money to pay off a former student he is accused of sexually molesting.
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| Rev. Charles Newman |
The Rev. Charles Newman, 58, accused of taking the money from the school and his order of Franciscan friars, entered his guilty plea on felony forgery and theft charges. He was president of the school from July 2002 to Nov. 20, 2003, when he was fired.
Sentencing has been set for May 8.
Newman had been accused of giving $54,000 of the money to a former student, Arthur Baselice 3d, from 2002 to 2003. Newman did not face criminal charges on the sexual-abuse allegation because the complaint came to light after the statute of limitations on such cases had expired.
Baselice's father told a grand jury that his son, a 1996 Ryan graduate, said that Newman repeatedly sexually abused him and introduced him to illegal, addictive drugs during his junior and senior years.
The younger Baselice, of Gloucester County, died Nov. 30, 2006, of a drug overdose. He was 28.
Contact staff writer Dwight Ott at 215-854-2797 or dott@phillynews.com
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