ALASKA
News Miner
Sam Friedman sfriedman@newsminer.com
FAIRBANKS – A former Fairbanks priest was arrested Friday on charges that he allegedly attempted to produce child pornography.
A federal grand jury on Wednesday indicted 57-year-old Clint Landry on one count of attempted production of child pornography and one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Landry, who until May was the priest at Sacred Heart Cathedral, allegedly “coerced a minor into engaging in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of that conduct” on May 18 and May 19. The Catholic Diocese of Fairbanks placed him on leave that week.
Charging documents don’t specify the age of the victim or the specific actions Landry is accused of committing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Reardon didn’t immediately return a phone call Friday requesting additional information about the charges against Landry.
Ronnie Rosenberg, director of human resources and legal coordinator for the diocese, said the juvenile identified by initials in the indictment is not part of the Fairbanks church and is not a Fairbanks resident. Rosenberg said in May that diocese staff called Alaska State Troopers after receiving a report about misconduct by Landry. Troopers passed on the case to the FBI.
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