Jury to resume deliberations in Somerset County priest's sex abuse trial

By Torsten Ove
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
September 22, 2015

http://www.post-gazette.com/news/state/2015/09/22/Jury-to-resume-deliberations-in-Somerset-County-priest-s-sex-abuse-trial-pennsylvania/stories/201509220159

The Rev. Joseph Maurizio

A federal jury deliberated more than five hours Monday in the case of a Somerset County priest accused of molesting Honduran orphans and will return today to try some more.

The Rev. Joseph Maurizio, 70, suspended pastor at Our Lady Queen of Angels, went on trial Sept. 10 in U.S. District Court in Johnstown. The Justice Department says he plied orphans with money and candy so he could fondle them, engage in other sex acts and take nude photos of them.

The parties made closing arguments Monday morning and the jury began deliberating at about 2:30 before quitting at about 8 p.m.

Rev. Maurizio was arrested a year ago after an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.