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A judge has dismissed criminal charges against a well-known priest from the Diocese of Scranton.

Father Philip Altavilla was charged in April with having inappropriate contact with a 13-year-old girl back in 1998.

The case was thrown out Friday morning because of a statue of limitations issue.

Father Altavilla’s accuser says the contact happened in 1998 but she did not come forward until this April (2014).

In dealing with a case like this, state law from 1998 dictates how long she legally had to come forward for criminal charges to be filed.

After examining the issue, a Lackawanna County judge said that time had passed and the District Attorney’s Office now agrees, saying they don’t plan to appeal.