PITTSBURGH (PA)
WTAE
August 22, 2018
By Paul Van Osdol
At least five former priests named in the grand jury report worked as state-licensed counselors or social workers, Action News Investigates has learned.
In four of the five cases, no criminal charges had been filed, so state officials knew nothing about the child sex abuse allegations when the former priests applied for state licenses.
Arthur Merrell was a chaplain at the Allegheny County Jail and the Shuman Juvenile Detention Center until 1998, after the grand jury says he was accused of inappropriately touching a boy younger than 15 and having sexual relations with a mentally ill man.
The grand jury says Merrell admitted to the acts, then left the priesthood.
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