Former Jackson Priest Pleads No Contest to 6 Counts of Criminal Sexual Conduct
By Ryan Shek
On Monday, a former Jackson Lumen Christi High School priest pleaded no contest to six counts of criminal sexual conduct, which spanned a half decade of abuse at the school. James Rapp, now 75, pleaded no contest to three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct as well as three counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct Monday, Feb. 29, before Jackson County Circuit Court Judge Susan Beebe. As part of the plea, 13 counts of criminal sexual conduct were dismissed, while Rapp will face anywhere from 20 to 40 years in prison as part of a sentencing agreement, Assistant Attorney General Angela Povilaitis said. Dressed in blue Michigan Department of Corrections attire, Rapp appeared before Beebe and pleaded to the charges, often lowering his head or inspecting his shackled wrists. His attorney, Alfred Brandt, spoke on his behalf citing diminished memory, and ultimately stipulated Rapp was assigned to Lumen Christi High School from 1980 to 1986, during which time, he used his authority as a priest, coach, trainer and maintenance supervisor to coerce six victims into having sexual contact. The investigation of Rapp began in the spring of 2013 after two men came forward to the Jackson County Sheriff's Office. Following an extensive investigation, Attorney General Bill Schuette's Office authorized 13 counts of criminal sexual conduct in January, 2015. More victims came forward following the issuance of charges, ultimately reaching 11 from the Jackson area in total, Povilaitis said. The six counts Rapp pleaded to on Monday were issued in connection to five students and one custodian who reported sexual abuse more than 30 years ago. Rapp faces 20 to 40 years in prison for the charges and is scheduled to appear before Beebe for sentencing April 29. He currently is serving a 40-year prison term in Oklahoma and there pleaded no contest to lewd molestation charges in 1999. Because Rapp left Michigan for Illinois in 1987, the statute of limitations halted in his case. No statute of limitations exist for first-degree criminal sexual conduct charges, according to the Attorney General's office. Rapp was ordained in 1959. He went on to work in Philadelphia from 1959-61; Salt Lake City from 1968-73; Lockport, N.Y., from 1979-80; Naperville, Ill., from 1987-90; and Duncan, Okla., from 1990-98. Citing potential conflicts of interest, the Jackson County Prosecutor's Office requested a special prosecutor to handle the case. Ryan Shek is a reporter for the Jackson Citizen Patriot and MLive.com. Contact him at rshek@mlive.com. Contact: rshek@mlive.com
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