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  Group Fights Release of Pedophile Priest

CBS 2
July 14, 2010

http://cbs2chicago.com/local/pedophile.priest.release.2.1804626.html

Mark Campobello Is To Be Released From Prison Later This Month

A former west suburban priest convicted of sexual abuse is scheduled to be released from prison later this month and a group supporting clergy sex victims is opposed to his release.

Mark Campobello is scheduled for release from the Logan Correctional Center in Lincoln on July 28, state officials told the Geneva Sun on Wednesday.

He was imprisoned for three years and eight months after pleading guilty in 2004 to sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in 1999 while living at the rectory of St. Peter's Church in Geneva.

He also pleaded guilty to molesting a 15-year-old girl while she was a student at Aurora Central Catholic High School in 1999 and 2000, when he served as assistant principal.

In a statement released Wednesday, David Clohessy, executive director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, said, "Campobello is a young, healthy and dangerous predator. Given the chance, he will almost certainly molest again."

The organization is hoping other victims come forward to assure Campobello's continued incarceration.

"There's really just one hope now: that others who saw, suspected or suffered Campobello's crimes will call police and start prosecuting him for other crimes. We're confident more victims are out there. It's just a question of them finding the courage to contact law enforcement so that other kids will be spared years of torment," Clohessy said.

Campobello has spent much of the last two years in prison on technical parole violations.

When he was originally released in February 2008, he was placed on parole for four years and had to register as a sex offender. He was given a certain route to follow to go to work from his home. He was found guilty of violating that condition when he stopped for gas, coffee and a haircut outside the approved route, and was sent back to prison in April 2008.

In April 2009, Campobello was living in McHenry County, but had to move out of his house. Because he did not have a permanent residence, he was again found to be in violation of his parole and sent back to prison.

Campobello was expelled from the priesthood by the Vatican in 2005 while in prison. The Rockford Diocese later issued an apology to his two victims, who are now adults, and settled a lawsuit brought by the women for $2.2 million.

 
 

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