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  Priest Indicted by Grand Jury in Sex Assaults

Providence Journal-Bulletin
April 6, 2002

The Rev. Daniel M. Azzarone Jr., 50, a former longtime priest at St. Mary Church in Cranston, was indicted yesterday by the Providence County grand jury on six counts of first-degree sexual assault, and one count of second-degree sexual assault.

Father Azzarone allegedly assaulted two victims on different dates between Nov. 1, 2000, and Nov. 7, 2001, the indictment states. He is scheduled to be arraigned in Providence County Superior Court on April 24.

Father Azzarone was arrested by Cranston police last November at the church rectory, and charged with multiple counts of first-degree sexual assault for a series of incidents involving a Cranston teenage boy.

He was released on bail.

After his arrest, Father Azzarone was suspended by Providence Bishop Robert Mulvee. He was also put on administrative leave and barred from functioning publicly as a priest.

At the time of the arrest, Detective Capt. William B. Borroughs said that Father Azzarone allegedly began assaulting the boy, who worked in the church rectory, about a year before. Burroughs said that the assaults began after a parish-sponsored trip to the Caribbean, for which Fathe Azzarone was one of the adult chaperones.

Some of the alleged assaults occurred in Father Azzarone's apartment at the St. Mary rectory, Burroughs said. The arrest stemmed from statements made by the alleged victim.

 
 

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