St. Louis-area priest sentenced to 3 years for child pornography

ST. LOUIS (MO)
Post-Dispatch

By Tim Townsend ttownsend@post-dispatch.com 314-340-82211

A Roman Catholic priest of the St. Louis Archdiocese admitted Friday that he had child pornography on his computer and cellphone, and sent explicit photos of male genitalia to a male minor. He was immediately sentenced to 37 months in federal prison.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Rob Livergood said in court that in 2010 Ballwin police confiscated a computer and cellphone belonging to the Rev. William Vatterott, 37, that had been used to store and send explicit photos of a male minor. Investigators found 20 images of child pornography and emails of male genitalia.

Vatterott, dressed in a dark suit and white shirt – not in a priest’s collar – did not dispute any of the facts Livergood’s narrative.

Vatterott was ordained in 2003. He was associate pastor at Holy Infant Church in Ballwin, then became pastor of St. Cecilia Parish, at 5418 Louisiana Avenue, in 2008. He was placed on administrative leave June 29, 2011, after a complaint was filed with the Ballwin police.

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