Priest arrested on sex charges
2005-11-22 14:12
Phoenix - The former vicar general of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix was arrested on Monday on charges that he fondled boys and young men and asked them prying questions about their sex lives that he pretended were part of confession.
Monsignor Dale Fushek, 53, became one of the highest-ranking priests to be charged in the sex scandal that has engulfed the church. The vicar general is the highest-ranking administrator of a diocese next to the bishop.
Fushek was charged with three counts of assault, five of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and two of indecent exposure. All are misdemeanours, punishable by no more than three years and nine months in total.
At his initial court appearance, Fushek was placed under house arrest and ordered to wear an electronic ankle bracelet for monitoring. He also was ordered to surrender his passport and not have contact with anyone under age 18. Fushek's arraignment was set for December 6.
Repressed memories
Fushek "used a relationship of trust to perform criminal acts, including but not limited to sexual activities, improper sexual discussions and physical contact, upon vulnerable minor and adult victims," said prosecutors in court papers.
Prosecutors said Fushek committed the acts between 1984 and 1994 at St Timothy's Catholic Church in Mesa or on property belonging to the church. The alleged victims were seven young men and boys.
Fushek resigned as pastor of St Timothy's in April after someone claimed to have recovered a repressed memory involving sexual improprieties by Fushek in 1985. He has denied the allegations and remains on administrative leave.
His attorney, Michael Manning, was out of the country and couldn't be reached for comment.
Personal gratification
Michael Haran, an attorney for the diocese, said the church knew of one of the alleged victims because it had settled with him previously, but the other six names were new to diocese officials.
Maricopa attorney Andrew Thomas said the priest conducted "sham confessions" in which he extracted details about people's sex lives for his own gratification.
Thomas said the diocese has been co-operative. "I've been impressed by the overall atmosphere that has been projected by this new bishop," he said.
Prosecutors had clashed with the diocese over sex abuse allegations when it was headed by Bishop Thomas O'Brien. O'Brien resigned in 2003 after being arrested in a hit-and-run. Fushek was O'Brien's top aide at the time. The diocese is now headed by Bishop Thomas Olmsted.
- AP