SOMERVILLE (MA)
Boston Globe
By Brian Ballou
Globe Staff
September 10, 2012
Over the course of a decade, the Rev. Paul LaCharite repeatedly called a young boy into his office at the St. James Episcopal Church in Somerville and sexually assaulted him, prosecutors said in court Monday.
The assaults stopped only after LaCharite, 65, left the church in 2005, but last week the victim went to police and told them about the assaults, said Danielle Stice, a Middlesex prosecutor.
LaCharite was arraigned Monday in Somerville District Court on charges of assault with intent to rape a child and three counts of indecent assault and battery on a child. He was arrested Friday afternoon.
“Father LaCharite is devastated by these allegations,” said David Meier, his lawyer, speaking outside the court. Moments earlier, inside the courthouse, Meier pleaded not guilty on his client’s behalf, adding that LaCharite “vehemently” denies the charges.
“The last time he was contacted by the alleged victim, who is now 26, was about two years ago and that was to baptize the alleged victim’s first child,” Meier said.
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