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  Priest to Stand Trial in Sex Abuse Case

KSBW
June 5, 2009

http://www.ksbw.com/news/19672958/detail.html

Salinas Priest Accused Of Molesting Boy

SALINAS, Calif. -- A judge ruled that there is enough evidence in the case of a Salinas priest accused of having child pornography on his computer and molesting a minor for him to stand trial.

A preliminary hearing was held for the Rev. Antonio Cortes, 41, on Friday. At the hearing, police testified that hard drives on Cortes' computer contained videos of child porn.

Police also said that a boy told them the he was molested by the priest who gave him so-called "spiritual massages."

"These spiritual massages consisted of John Doe laying on the floor and the defendant would have some sort of crystal and rub it on his forehead and would massage his body," Salinas Detective Luis Bravo said.

Although Cortes will stand trial, the defense was able to get the priest's bail reduced from $750,000 to $100,000, which affords him a better chance of posting bail.

A spokesman for the Catholic Diocese of Monterey said if Cortes does bail out he will remain under the authority of the bishop and that he will be transferred to a retreat away from children and families.

Cortes, who was a priest at the St. Mary of the Nativity Catholic Church, was arrested April 16 after the 16-year-old walked into the Salinas police station and accused the priest of providing him with alcohol and then molesting him, starting when he was a 14-year-old.

Cortes has been stripped of his religious duties and is scheduled to be arraigned this month.

 
 

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