Criminal Charges Filed In Pa. Priest Sex Abuse Scandal

The Pennsylvania Attorney General has filed criminal charges in connection with the priest sex abuse scandal at the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown.

Three religious leaders were charged Tuesday for their involvement in a conspiracy that enabled dozens of schoolchildren to be sexually abused by a priest, Attorney General Kathleen Kane said.

Giles A. Schinelli, 73, Robert J. D'Aversa, 69, and Anthony M. Criscitelli, 61, are each charged with one count each of endangering the welfare of children and criminal conspiracy.

The three men served as ministers provincial for the Third Order Regulars and had the "exclusive and total control over the assignment of personnel within the organization," the attorney general's office said in a statement.

They chose to assign Stephen Baker, who had been previously accused of sex abuse, to Bishop McCort Catholic High School, where he sexually abused more than 80 students, the attorney general said. The three men knew of the sexual abuse allegations involving Baker but still put in him the assignment at a school settings that allowed him contact with children.

Baker, who died by suicide in 2013, taught religion and worked as an athletic trainer at Bishop McCort Catholic High School from 1992 to 2000.

The alleged abuse continued even after Baker stopped working at the school, because authorities say he would return participate in school events until 2010.

Baker is accused of molesting more than 80 children from Bishop McCort between 1992 and 2010.

"Victim statements detailed incidents involving Baker in which he would grope the genitals of male children and digitally penetrate their anuses, the grand jury found," the attorney general said in a statement.

The alleged abuse often happened on school grounds.

The charges follow a two-year grand jury investigation into the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown. The grand jury report, released earlier this month, was a scathing account of widespread abuse by numerous religious leaders made worse by two bishops efforts to cover up the illegal behavior.

"These men knew there was a child predator in their organization. Yet they continued to put him in positions where he had countless opportunities to prey upon children," Attorney General Kane said. "Their silence resulted in immeasurable pain and suffering for so many victims. These men turned a blind eye to the innocent children they were trusted to protect."

Schinelli, D'Aversa and Criscitelli all live out of state. Investigators expect their preliminary arraignments to be scheduled in the coming days.

A hotline created for victims to come forward is still in operation and can be reached at 888-538-8541.

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