Priest Facing Sex Charges to Remain behind Bars

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
November 15, 2014

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/east/2014/11/15/Priest-facing-sex-charges-to-remain-behind-bars/stories/201411150114

A federal judge Friday reversed a decision by a magistrate to release a Johnstown-area priest charged with traveling to Honduras for sex with boys and ordered him detained pending trial.

U.S. District Judge Kim Gibson said the Rev. Joseph Maurizio, 69, will remain behind bars as a risk to flee and a danger to the community, the two standards that govern federal detention orders.

The ruling overturned a decision by U.S. Magistrate Judge Keith Pesto to release the priest as long as his bank accounts were frozen and he was unable to access church funds.

Judge Pesto had kept Father Maurizio jailed, however, while the U.S. attorney’s office appealed the decision.