NEW YORK
Albany Times Union
By Bob Gardinier
Published 2:51 p.m., Wednesday, October 3, 2012
HUDSON — A former Claverack Catholic priest who spent nearly four years in federal prison on child pornography charges was given a Level 1 sex offender status in Columbia County Court.
Raymond Ethier, 55, who was released from federal custody in January, appeared in court last week. Assistant District Attorney James A. Carlucci asked Judge Richard M. Koweek to assign Ethier the most severe, Level 3, status, according to the district attorney’s office.
Ethier’s lawyer, Daniel Stewart, asked for Level 1, stating that his client was a “low risk to re-offend” and noting that he was also sentenced to 10 years post-release federal supervision.
A Level 1 offender is required to register as a sex offender for a minimum of 20 years, while Level 2 and 3 offenders, considered more likely to re-offend, must register for life.
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