FLORIDA
Florida Times-Union
By Matt Sedensky Wed, Jan 7, 2015
WEST PALM BEACH — A Catholic priest from India was jailed after asking a 14-year-old boy to help him delete dozens of images of child pornography from his phone, authorities said.
When questioned by police, the Rev. Jose Palimattom said he had been reprimanded by his superiors in India for his involvement with a boy, authorities said. When he came to the U.S., the pastor at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church in West Palm Beach told him he was not allowed to have contact with minors without another adult present, and was restricted from using Facebook, according to a police report.
Palimattom was in jail Tuesday on an obscenity charge.
The Diocese of Palm Beach said it had done a thorough background screening on Palimattom, but that no prior conduct was revealed.
“This allegation is being taken very seriously,” the diocese said in a statement.
Dianne Laubert, a spokeswoman for the diocese, provided no immediate clarification as to why the priest claimed restrictions were placed on him. She said she was not aware of a lawyer being hired on Palimattom’s behalf, and there was no mention of one in initial court filings.
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