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DA Investigating Relationship Involving Removed Priest

By Will Lewis
WFMZ
March 13, 2012

http://www.wfmz.com/news/news-regional-lehighvalley/DA-investigating-relationship-involving-removed-priest/-/132502/9286900/-/uqwgccz/-/

A Berks County priest who admitted to having an inappropriate relationship with an 18-year-old woman is now being investigated for the same thing in Northampton County, but this time, officials said there could be more to the story.

The priest, Cletus Onyegbule, has admitted to having sex with the woman in the rectory of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Bethlehem Township, investigators said.

"The day after her 18th birthday, in the rectory of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, he admitted to that essentially," said Morganelli. "Then she claims she got pregnant right away and in March was taken for an abortion by this priest, and he was with her and paid for it."

The investigation in Northampton County will focus on the relationship between the two while the victim was 17, conduct that could lead to a corruption of minor charge, Morganelli said.

"This relationship started in terms of the priest expressing interest in her sexually, telling her she was pretty, that he'd like to kiss her, he'd like to have sex with her," Morganelli said. "Eventually, that did happen, but it was after she turned 18."

Morganelli said the two having sex is legal.

Onyegbule, 44, has been removed from his assignment at St. Ignatius Loyola Church in Spring Twp., Berks Co. He is now at a treatment facility outside of the diocese and not permitted to function publicly as a priest.

Morganelli said he still needs to interview the alleged victim in the case.

"Whether it was talking with her, encouraging her to have sex even when she turns 18, while she was a minor, did that tend to corrupt her morals," said Morganelli, who expects to interview the woman in the next week.

 

 

 

 

 




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