KENTUCKY
WHAS
Posted on September 9, 2014
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) — A Catholic priest and former Trinity High School student was indicted on charges of sexual abuse.
The Reverend Joseph Hemmerle is charged with six counts of sodomy and three charges of sexual abuse.
The allegations stem from a case in Meade County in the 1970s.
The alleged victim was under the age of 12.
Hemmerle was placed on leave from the archdiocese back in May.
He had been serving as the pastor at St. Francis Assisi and Holy Cross parishes in Marion County, Ky.
The Archdiocese of Louisville issued this statement surrounding the case of Joseph Hemmerle, a Catholic priest indicted on multiple counts of sexual abuse:
The Archdiocese of Louisville learned today that Father R. Joseph Hemmerle has been indicted in Meade County on several counts of sexual abuse.
The Archdiocese has cooperated with law enforcement officials as they have investigated these accusations and will continue to fully cooperate.
Archbishop Joseph Kurtz placed Father Hemmerle on administrative leave in May of 2014 after an individual came forward who reported that he had been sexually abused by Father Hemmerle in the 1970s. Father Hemmerle had been serving as a pastor of Holy Cross Parish in Holy Cross, Ky. and St. Francis Parish in St. Francis, Ky.
The Archdiocese encourages victims of sexual abuse to report their abuse to the police, and we hold all victims of abuse in our prayers.
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