After Confession, Priest Privately Denied Abusing Teen in Wyckoff, Friends Say

By Myles Ma
Nj.com
February 10, 2014

http://www.nj.com/bergen/index.ssf/2014/02/after_confession_fugee_privately_denied_abusing_teen_in_wyckoff_friends_say.html

The Rev. Michael Fugee, seen here after his arrest in May, denied sexually abusing a teenage boy in Wyckoff, friends said.

WYCKOFF — Two supporters of the Rev. Michael Fugee told the Record he denied sexually abusing a teenage boy in Wyckoff a day after confessing to prosecutors in a written agreement.

Michael and Amy Lenehan said they spoke to Fugee in October, trying to convince him to void the consent order because they believed he was innocent.

Michael Lenehan said Fugee told him he didn't molest the teenager, and that he only signed the confession to avoid prison time. The order forbids Fugee from renouncing his confession.

Fugee, 52, also had to petition the Vatican for his permanent removal from the priesthood, one of dozens of conditions under a court-approved agreement reached with the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office in October. Bergen County Prosecutor John L. Molinelli said he took over supervision of Fugee from the archdiocese because he no longer had confidence in Archbishop John J. Myers' ability to monitor him.

The prosecutor's office dropped seven counts of criminal contempt of a judicial order under the terms of the consent order. The office investigated after the Star-Ledger revealed that Fugee had violated a 2007 ban on ministry to children.

Myers removed Monsignor John E. Doran for mishandling the supervision of Fugee. Doran signed the 2007 agreement with the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office agreeing to oversee Fugee.