Pennsylvania Priest charged with indecently assaulting a teen

A 30 year old Roman Catholic priest in Pennsylvania, has been accused of groping and sending nude pictures to a teenage girl over Snapchat.

The Lehigh County District Attorney announced yesterday, that Father Kevin Lonergan is charged with indecently assaulting a teen girl last year in Allentown. Lonergan allegedly met the 17 year old victim before mass in August 2017 at Saint Francis Assisi Church, then got her number from a church member. 

The two communicated via Snapchat several times, between December 2017 and January 2018. Those messages included nude photos of the priest. The victim remained silent for several months after an assault, but eventually came forward to officials at her high school, who reported the incident.

Last week, a Pennsylvania grand jury released a sweeping report, that documented decades of abuse and subsequent cover-ups, by clergy members across six Dioceses in the state.