WISCONSIN
SNAP Wisconsin
Statement by John Pilmaier, SNAP Wisconsin Director
CONTACT: 414.336.8575
The Wisconsin Court of Appeals has upheld the 20 year prison sentence that was imposed upon former Catholic priest James Blume. Blume who pled guilty in 2010 to two counts of child sexual assault had asked the court to reconsider his sentence due to his deteriorating health. The state appeals court concluded that “there has been no miscarriage of justice in this case”.
Blume is one of over twenty Catholic clergy who have been prosecuted in recent years utilizing Wisconsin’s “fleeing sex offender law” which allows for the prosecution of child predators who commit child sexual assault and then flee the state. Once the perpetrator crosses state lines the remaining criminal statute “tolls” or “freezes” which may allow for prosecution even in cases where the crimes were committed decades ago.
Despite his criminal conviction for child sexual assault Blume is not listed on the Archdiocese of Milwaukee’s official list of priest sex offenders. As a former religious order priest Blume, who taught religious education at St. Luke’s parish in Brookfield, is one of an unknown number of clerics whose crimes continue to be concealed by the archdiocese.
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