ST. CLOUD (MN)
KARE 11
February 14, 2018
The priest was arrested on Feb. 13.
An ordained priest with the St. Cloud Diocese is accused of sexual assaulting a woman who came to him for spiritual guidance due to a prior relationship which included sexual abuse.
Father Anthony Joseph Oelrich, 51, is charged with criminal sexual conduct for an inappropriate relationship with the victim that started in 2013. He was arrested on Feb. 13 and is currently in custody in Stearns County. He is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Wednesday.
According to the criminal charges, the woman sought the help of Father Oelrich after confessing she was the victim of sexual abuse in December of 2013. After her initial disclosure with Oelrich, he began asking further questions about the abuse. The woman told investigators she became suicidal at one point and Oelrich reached out to her and consoled her.
The criminal complaint details a number of incidents where Father Oelrich asked the victim to touch him inappropriately when she sought his help.
The victim also told authorities she was suffering from insomnia so Oelrich would tuck her in at night and often sleep with her in her bed until 1 a.m.
In January 2014, the woman said she was invited to the rectory in St. Cloud to have dinner with Father Oelrich. That night, he suggested she stay the night and the two engaged in sexual intercourse. This occurred repeatedly until April of 2014.
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