PENNSYLVANIA
Tribune-Democrat
By David Hurst
dhurst@tribdem.com
Posted on Apr 22, 2015
A suspended Central City priest was arraigned Wednesday on his latest set of charges alleging he used mission trips to Honduras to have sex with street orphans there.
But the Rev Joseph Maurizio Jr’s defense attorney described the new indictment as old claims, ones the FBI investigated in 2009 and then dismissed.
“When (a prosecutor’s) original charge falls apart, their M-O is always to add more victims and more charges,” Attorney Stephen Passarello said of the new counts, which allege Maurizio abused two more Honduran boys and transferred mission trip money to the country to facilitate his crimes.
“I’m not seeing anything new here,” he said. “It’s still the same allegations the FBI (investigated) before their case was closed in 2010.”
A thinner, somewhat frail-looking Maurizio appeared for his brief arraignment at U.S. District Court in Johnstown to enter a “not guilty” plea.
Passarello said Maurizio will continue seeking a jury trial – and the attorney vowed he’ll do “everything I can” to keep the defendant’s scheduled September trial date from being delayed.
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