Fr. Michael J. Zacharias
Pastor of St. Michael’s in Findlay when arrested 8/18/20 by the FBI on multiple charges of sex trafficking. He allegedly “manipulated and coerced drug-addicted boys and men into sex.” Per court records, Zacharias made a “confession video” in 2015 in which he performed oral sex on a then-adult victim. He admits to first meeting the victim when he was a seminarian and the boy was in 6th grade St. Catherine’s in Toledo. The boy became drug-addicted as a teen, and Zacharias offered him money for sex to feed his habit. A second young man told the FBI he met Zacharias in first grade at St. Catherine’s and that the priest began sexually abusing him as a teen, when he was drug-addicted. Zacharias was placed on leave by the Diocese.
- United States of America v Michael Zacharias 08.17.20
- Richland Source 08.18.20
- Yahoo News 08.18.20
- Toledo Blade 08.18.20
- The Courier 08.19.20
- WTOL 08.19.20
- Richland Source 08.20.20
- Courier 08.21.20
- Toledo Blade 08.21.20
- Courier 08.22.20
- Toledo Blade 09.06.20
- Daily Beast 10.23.20
- Shore News 10.24.20
- International Business Times 10.26.20
- Mansfield News Journal 02.04.22
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