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  Former Indian River School Board Candidate Arrested on Child Porn Charges

By Eric Pfahler
TCPalm
May 28, 2009

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2009/may/28/former-indian-river-school-board-candidate-arreste/

VERO BEACH — A former local priest and past member of the county's Children Service Advisory Committee was arrested Thursday on charges of possessing child pornography.

Vero Beach police arrested Gerard J. Lamothe, 60, of the 1800 block of 44th Avenue, Vero Beach, after a three-month-long investigation. Lamothe, who also ran for the School Board District 2 seat this past election, was released later in the day from the Indian River County Jail on $10,000 bail.

Lamothe could not be reached for comment. Attorney Jeff Battista of Vero Beach-based Menz & Battista, which is representing Lamothe, said the facts will support Lamothe in the end.

"We stand behind Mr. Lamothe," he said.

According to a Vero Beach Police release, investigators got a tip in February a computer monitor at the Pastoral Counseling Center, 3100 Airport West Drive, Vero Beach, displayed child pornography. Lamothe founded and runs the Pastoral Counseling Center, which is a marriage and family counseling center.

Though the business was closed at that time, the monitor was visible through the window, the release stated.

A Vero Beach officer went to the office later that day and saw a monitor from the front window showing a child of about 4-to-5 years old engaged in a sexual act, according to the release. The next day, Lamothe — now married and a father of 11 — denied having previous knowledge of the image on his computer, according to the release.

A search warrant was issued and the computer was seized. Police spokesman Officer John Morrison said investigators have ruled out the possibility the photos were of any of Lamothe's children.

His father-in-law, Frank Zorc, said he was shocked to hear about the arrest.

"In 15 years, I have never seen him be anything but a loving father with his children," Zorc said.

County Commissioner Peter O'Bryan named Lamothe to the Children Service's Advisory Committee, a four-year term that would have ended in 2011. But O'Bryan said Lamothe submitted a short letter of resignation a couple of months ago and the letter did not provide a specific reason for stepping down. O'Bryan said he was "stunned" by the arrest.

"I can only hope that this is just some great mistake and it will all get sorted out," O'Bryan said.

The forensic examination on the computer was completed May 15. Examiners found numerous images depicting children who appeared to be younger than age 18, performing sexual or lewd acts with and without adults, according to the release.

The center, which is listed as by appointment only, was locked Thursday afternoon.

Lamothe also served as a priest at St. Helen Catholic Church in Vero Beach for five years before leaving the priesthood to get married in 1987. Officials at St. Helen could not be reached for comment.

According to Catholic Diocese of Palm Beach Director of Communications Alexis Walkenstein, the diocese did not receive any reports or allegations of this kind during Lamothe's active ministry in Vero Beach. Law enforcement also has not contacted church officials regarding the current allegation.

 
 

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