Milford, Pa. —
A local Catholic priest, Father Robert M. Timchak, 44, was sentenced to 6-to-72 months at a Pennsylvania State Prison for 17 felony counts of child pornography by Judge Joseph F. Kameen on Wednesday, according to the Pike County District Attorney’s Office.
Charges were originally filed in October 2009 when an anonymous letter was mailed to The Scranton Diocese, according to information released by CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360 log, which initially grabbed national attention last year.
The Diocese turned the letter over to the District Attorney’s Office, which began its investigation.
“After seizing his desktop and laptop computers, investigators said they found graphic files containing young males in sexually explicitly poses and/or acts. The graphic files contained nude or partially clothed young males,” according to CNN.
Timchak was a priest at St. Vincent de Paul from July 2007 to April 2009, said Father Paul Mullen, who is now the priest at the church. The church is located on Route 739 in Dingman Township. As part of the parish, there is a pre-school on the grounds.
Timchak also pleaded guilty to criminal use of a communication facility and tampering with evidence. Judge Kareem additionally ordered him to pay a fine, submit a DNA sample and to register as a sex offender under Megan’s Law.
According to information released from the Pike County District Attorney Raymond Tonkin, when Timchak knew the police were close on his heels, he tried to delete the images from his computer, but he was unsuccessful. The average age of the young male children was 11.
Timchak has served with the Scranton Diocese since 1992, starting in Wilkes-Barre at St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception.
Bishop Joseph Bambera, who is in charge of the Diocese, issued a formal statement which stated, “The Catholic Church considers child pornography to be a serious moral and criminal offense. The Vatican recently revised its procedures for handling priestly sex abuse cases, streamlining disciplinary measures and defining child pornography as an act of sexual abuse of a minor. The Diocese of Scranton adheres to this protocol and all civil and ecclesiastical laws.
It reads further, “Father Timchak has been on a leave of absence and residing at a treatment facility outside the Diocese since April 2009. He has not been allowed to publicly celebrate Mass, hear confessions or administer any other sacraments. The strict limitations already imposed on him by the Diocese remain in effect.
“Now that the legal proceedings have been completed, the future of Father Timchak as a priest is a matter for the Holy See to decide,” according to the Diocese.
In layman’s terms now that he has been convicted and sentenced to prison, his fate as far as the Catholic Church is concerned is up to the Vatican.
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