Washington: An Indian Catholic priest, who was arrested in the US on charges of engaging in sexual contact with a child under 13 years of age, has been released on a bail of USD 75,000.
Father Leo Koppala, from Andhra Pradesh, faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison and a USD 35,000 fine or both as he was charged with second-degree criminal sexual conduct.
The 47-year-old priest, as per the court order, is not allowed to leave the state of Minnesota, must surrender his passport and must remain law-abiding. The incident happened on June 7 when Koppala was invited over for supper at the location where the child was staying.
According to the complainant, Koppala kissed the girl on the cheeks and lips. Koppala also touched her private parts. Koppala told the victim that he loved her, according to the complainant.
The adult in the house corroborated the incident. Before being released on the bail, Father Koppala was kept in the Faribault County Jail in Minnesota for about a month. Besides his service to the church in Blue Earth in Minnesota, he was known for his fund raising activities to help the poor and orphan children in Andhra Pradesh.
Source : DC
Source : DC
AP priest in Minnesota fondles minor, arrested
Hyderabad/Nellore: A Catholic priest from Andhra Pradesh, Father Leo Koppala, has been arrested in the United States for sexually molesting a 12-year-old girl. Fr Koppala has been serving at the Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Blue Earth, Minnesota in the US for nearly four years.
The 47-year-old priest is from Nellore. He is charged with second degree criminal sexual conduct. If convicted, he faces 25 years of imprisonment or a fine of $35,000 or both.
A note from Bishop John M. Quinn of Winona in Minnesota said: “Leo Charles Koppala, a priest of the Nellore diocese in South India, has been placed on administrative leave in accordance with the diocesan policy for the protection of minors. Koppala has been charged with criminal sexual conduct in the second degree involving a minor.”
Fr Leo Koppala
“While on administrative leave, he is not permitted to exercise his public ministry or live on any parish property in the diocese of Winona pending the outcome of the investigation.” According to the criminal complaint, the priest had been invited for supper to a home in Blue Earth on June 7.
Priest ran fundraising programme
Police chief Tom Fletcher, who interviewed Father Leo Koppala, who was arrested for sexually molesting a 12-year-old girl, said, “Koppala admitted that he had supper with the girl and her grandmother. He admitted that when the grandmother was on the phone, he went downstairs to where the girl was. He agreed that he had kissed her on the cheeks and mouth.
He admitted to placing his hand on her chest but did not believe he touched her breasts. Koppala admitted that he told her that they could be ‘free together’ but explained that he meant something different.”
Koppala is running a fundraising programme, Orphan and Poor Children Education, which reportedly helps children in the Nellore and Prakasam district of India. When our Nellore correspondent tried to contact the diocese in Nellore, they were not available for comment.
Source : DC