Pedophile priest ordered detained in US

A Roman Catholic priest in the United States charged with possession of child pornography and having sex with children during missionary trips was ordered on Monday to remain in jail until his trial.

Sixty-nine -year-old Reverend Joseph Maurizio was detained on Thursday.

A criminal complaint alleges Maurizio gave boys candy and money so he could molest them or watch the boys have sex.

The complaint alleges that the events occurred during missionary trips to Honduras with his self-run charity in 2009 and previous years.

Assistant US Attorney Stephanie Haines told Magistrate Judge Keith Pesto in the case that child pornography was found in the priest’s camera when he returned from a trip to Central America in July.

Pesto ordered Maurizio detained after prosecution evidence contrasted with character witnesses who described the defendant as a man of character.

“What you’re describing is Jekyll and Hyde, Father Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” the judge said, before ruling he can’t let “Jekyll go free and detain Mr. Hyde.”

Maurizio has been placed on leave from the Somerset County church he also pastored.

GJH/GJH