Pennsylvania Priest Arrested for Allegedly Traveling to Honduras to Have Sex with Kids

By Deborah Hastings
New York Daily News
September 25, 2014

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/penn-priest-nabbed-feds-child-sex-charges-article-1.1953235

A Pennsylvania priest was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents Thursday on charges accusing him of sexually abusing children in Honduras, where he did missionary work with the poor and offered orphanage services to homeless children.

The Rev. Joseph Maurizio Jr. will be held without bail until a detention hearing on Monday in Pittsburgh, ICE officials announced.

He also faces charges of possessing child pornography.

He was suspended last week as pastor of Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Central City, Pa., by the local archdiocese after federal agents raided his home and church office, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported.

Between 1999 and 2009, Maurizio is accused of having sex with young boys in exchange for money and candy and of taking photographs of boys showering and performing sex acts, the paper said.

The now-disgraced priest made at least 10 trips to Honduras during that period and "engaged in various and numerous unlawful sexual activities with minors," according to ICE's statement.

Maurizio also stored child porn in the rectory of Our Lady Queen of Angels, according to ICE.