ST. CLOUD (MN)
St. Cloud Times
February 13, 2018
By Stephanie Dickrell and Clairissa Baker
A St. Cloud priest faces criminal charges on suspicion of engaging in a sexual relationship with a parishioner.
The Rev. Anthony Oelrich, 51, was charged with criminal sexual conduct in the third degree. The state statue makes it a crime for a member of clergy to engage in a sexual relationship with someone they are counseling spiritually or religiously.
St. Cloud police arrested Oelrich Tuesday morning and he appeared in court Wednesday.
Oelrich has worked as a priest in the Diocese of St. Cloud since 1992 and until Wednesday was the priest assigned to Christ Church Newman Center.
According to the criminal complaint, an adult woman went to Oelrich for spiritual guidance and told him during confession in December 2013 about a past relationship that included sexual abuse.
Oelrich later reached out and asked the woman further questions about the abuse. She told Oelrich she had become suicidal and Oelrich consoled her.
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