HARRISBURG (PA)
Attorney General of Pennsylvania
May 8, 2018
Church Knew of Predator Priest’s Behavior for Eight Years
[Note: Includes a list of Poulson’s assignments and the informative presentment with more assignment details.]
Erie – Attorney General Josh Shapiro today announced criminal charges against a Catholic priest in the Diocese of Erie for sexual abuse committed against two young boys over a period of many years. One of the victims was 8 years old when the priest began abusing him. The second victim was 15 when the abuse started.
Father David Poulson, 64, of Oil City, a Catholic priest in the Erie diocese for four decades until earlier this year, was arrested this morning and charged with indecent assault, endangering the welfare of children and corruption of minors. Three of the counts against Poulson are felonies. The charges were recommended by a statewide investigating grand jury, which found that Poulson sexually assaulted the boys while employed in active ministry as a priest by the Erie diocese.
“Poulson assaulted one of his victims repeatedly in church rectories,” Attorney General Shapiro said at a news conference at the Erie County Courthouse where Poulson’s arrest was announced. “He made that victim go to confession and confess the abuse – to Poulson. This was the ultimate betrayal and manipulation by Poulson. He used the tools of the priesthood to further his abuse.”
According to the grand jury’s presentment made public today:
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