Fr. Francis Pucci

On leave 10/87-2/92 for ‘health reasons.’ Charged 11/88 with indecent assault of boy in 1986 at the Marianna parish house, and with conspiracy for letting Fr. Richard Zula have sex with a boy at a parish Pucci pastored. Charges dropped on SOL. Banned from public ministry; retired 2/92. Died 4/5/02. Report 4/02 that Pucci fondled a boy at St. Vitus school in 1962. Report 2/04 to D.A. that Pucci sexually abused a boy in 1988. At least 3 men alleged separately between 2014 and 2016 that Pucci abused them as boys at a Coraopolis parish. Named in 8/14/18 PA Grand Jury Report. Per GJ, was part of a ring of priests who “raped children, shared intelligence on potential victims and [made] child porn.. .” The abuse involved whips, chains and alcohol. They gave their “favorite boys” big gold crosses to wear that would signal them as targets for abuse. Lawsuit 11/19 claiming abuse over three years in early 1980s of two boys, starting when they were ages 11 and 13, at St. Alphonsus in McDonald.
- PA Grand Jury Report Profile 08.14.18
- United Press International 10.14.88
- Associated Press 11.11.88
- United Press International 04.03.90
- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 04.07.02
- Miami New Times 04.17.03
- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 02.28.04
- PA Grand Jury Report Profile 08.14.18
- Philadelphia Inquirer 08.14.18
- Patheos 08.15.18
- WTAE TV 11.19.19
- Tribune Review 11.20.19
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