(LA)
AN17 [Loranger, LA]
October 25, 2022
By St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office
A former priest has been arrested on an additional charge for molestation after a second victim came forward in St. Tammany Parish.
Recall in October 2020, Patrick Wattigny was arrested on molestation charges after it was alleged he had sexually abused a minor in 2013 while serving as pastor of a Slidell-area church.
In August 2022, a second victim contacted the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office and disclosed sexual abuse at the hands of Wattigny. The victim, who is an adult now, disclosed that he was abused by Wattigny while he was a elementary student at a Covington-area Catholic school.
Following an investigation, a warrant was issued for the arrest of Wattigny.
He was booked Tuesday (October 25) into the St. Tammany Parish Correctional Center for one count of LRS 14:81.2 Molestation of a Juvenile.
“It is deeply disturbing when an individual in a position of authority uses that position to prey on the most defenseless of our population – our children,” Sheriff Randy Smith said.
This is an ongoing investigation, and no additional information will be provided at this time.