Former pastor in 2 states pleads guilty to child sex charges

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — A former pastor in Tennessee and Indiana faces up to life in prison after he pleaded guilty to federal child sex abuse charges, prosecutors said. Joshua Henley, 33, pleaded guilty Monday to producing, possessing and sending sex abuse material involving...

$121.5M settlement in New Mexico clergy sex abuse scandal

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — One of the oldest Catholic dioceses in the United States announced a settlement agreement Tuesday to resolve a bankruptcy case in New Mexico that resulted from a clergy sex abuse scandal. The tentative deal totals $121.5 million and would involve about 375...

Chicago archdiocese settles sex abuse suit for $1.2 million

CHICAGO (AP) — The Archdiocese of Chicago has agreed to pay $1.2 million to a man who alleged that he was sexually abused when he was 12 years old by a defrocked priest who was convicted of sexually abusing several boys, the man's attorney announced on Tuesday. The settlement of...

Catholic school in Mississippi Delta closing after 70 years

GREENWOOD, Miss. (AP) — A Catholic elementary school that primarily serves Black and Hispanic families in the Mississippi Delta is closing after more than 70 years, following a sex abuse scandal, declining enrollment and a steep decrease in donations. St. Francis of Assisi School...

Ex-neighbor: California church shooting suspect's life unraveled after he was nearly beaten to death several years ago

'Reprehensible': Oz condemns GOP opponent's tweet on Islam

CARLISLE, Pa. (AP) — Republican Senate hopeful Mehmet Oz is stepping up his criticism of far-right candidates in Pennsylvania who are gaining traction ahead of Tuesday's primary election. After spending much of the campaign steering clear of fellow Republican Senate contender Kathy...

Convicted ex-friar won't be tried in 2nd sex abuse case

GREENWOOD, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi prosecutors have dropped a second set of charges against a former Franciscan friar who was convicted last month of sexually abusing a student during the 1990s at a Catholic school. Paul West, 62, received a 45-year sentence on April 13 and is in...

Women settle suit alleging Liberty mishandled assault cases

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A settlement has been reached in a lawsuit twelve women brought last summer against Liberty University, accusing the Christian institution of fostering an unsafe environment on its Virginia campus and mishandling cases of sexual assault and harassment. A notice...

Former Maryland priest gets 22 years for abuse

BALTIMORE (AP) — A former Maryland priest was sentenced Wednesday to 22 years in federal prison followed by lifetime supervised release for coercion and enticement of a child he met through the church to engage in illegal sexual activity. Fernando Cristancho, 65, who served as a...

What they wore: Amish Country exhibit spotlights sex abuse

LEOLA, Pa. (AP) — Clotheslines with billowing linens and long dresses are a common sight on the off-grid farms of Pennsylvania's Lancaster County, home to the nation's largest Amish settlement. For many tourists they're as iconic a part of Amish Country's bucolic scenery as the rural lanes and...