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Visiting Rev Faces Kid Molest Charges By Nancie L. Katz New York Daily News October 19, 2005 A visiting priest from Africa was arrested yesterday on charges of fondling a 16-year-old girl in the rectory of a Brooklyn church. The Rev. Anthony Ocloo, 45, an MBA student at St. John's University who arrived from Ghana nine months ago, denied the allegations at his arraignment on misdemeanor charges of sex abuse and child endangerment. Prosecutors said Ocloo molested the teen in the rectory of St. Ephrem's in Dyker Heights, the parish where he has lived since his arrival from Ghana. Assistant District Attorney Kevin O'Donnell said the victim was stuffing envelopes beside Ocloo at the rectory on Oct. 7 when the priest allegedly lowered the blinds and began to hug, kiss and grope her. "She went home crying and told her mother what happened," he said. The mother then told the parish priest, who instructed her to call a new hotline set up by the Diocese of Brooklyn for criminal complaints. Brooklyn Criminal Court Judge Robert Allman released Ocloo without bail, but ordered him to surrender his passport and stay away from the girl. Frank DeRosa, spokesman for the Diocese of Brooklyn, said Ocloo has been suspended from working as a priest and ordered to leave St. Ephrem's. |
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