Ex-Los Banos priest charged in child porn case in Merced County — again

CALIFORNIA
Fresno Bee

ROB PARSONS
rparsons@mercedsunstar.com

Less than six months after he was released from jail on a child pornography conviction, the former lead priest of a Los Banos Catholic parish faces new charges.

Robert E. Gamel, 67, the former lead priest at St. Joseph Church, will be arraigned Friday on a single felony count of possession of child pornography with a prior conviction, according to Merced County Superior Court records.

Gamel was arrested April 12 following a probation search at his Merced home, the Merced County District Attorney’s Office confirmed.

Deputy District Attorney Travis Colby confirmed the child pornography charge filed late Tuesday is a new allegation related to the April 12 search of Gamel’s home. Colby would not say what probation officers found at Gamel’s home.

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