Former Emmaus priest charged in child porn bust

Fox 29
September 13, 2016

http://www.fox29.com/news/local-news/205050633-story

ALLENTOWN, PA (WTXF) - Authorities in Lehigh County have arrested and charged a priest with sexual abuse of children following a child pornography investigation.

Msgr. John Stephen Mraz, 66, has been charged with sexual abuse of children and criminal use of communication facility, and obscene and other sexual materials and performances.

Mraz is a former Pastor at St. Ann's Roman Catholic Church in Emmaus.

Investigators say during the week of July 25^th, Mraz requested a friend and parishioner to help fix his laptop and perform software upgrades. While working on the computer the parishioner discovered files in the computer's recycle bin depicting images of nude males.

When finished with the computer the parishioner returned it to Mraz, and was given a second laptop to upgrade. On the second computer, the parishioner discovered a file with a name suggesting it contained obscene photos of underage boys.

The parishioner informed the Diocese of Allentown of his findings, who then informed the Lehigh County District Attorney. A search  warrant was executed at Mraz's Emmaus home, where several devices were seized.

Investigators say those devices revealed that Mraz actively searched the internet looking for images and videos of underage boys engaged in sexual acts, and several images were allegedly found on the devices as well.