November 20, 2019
LANSING - One of the first five priests to be charged in Attorney General Dana Nessel’s Clergy Abuse Investigation was sentenced today by Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Wanda Evans to 45 days in Wayne County Jail, one year of probation, and is required to attend sex offender counseling.
Patrick Casey, 56, of Bellaire, pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of Aggravated Assault in early October and is the first defendant in Attorney General Nessel’s clergy abuse investigation to be convicted.
“For too long, victims of clergy abuse have suffered unimaginable pain – often in silence,” Nessel said. “Mr. Casey’s sentencing today provides a sense of justice for his victim and reinforces our commitment to survivors that we will use every available resource at our disposal to hold abusers accountable for their actions.”
At sentencing, a survivor gave his impact statement before the court saying, “What always hurt the most was that I was suicidal and he did nothing to help me … I was drowning, I needed help, I needed a shepherd.”
Casey will begin serving his sentence immediately. He remains temporarily removed from all public, priestly ministries while his case is under review at the Vatican.
A status update on each of the remaining charged clergy abuse defendants is as follows:
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Please note: The survivor’s name is being withheld at his request and out of respect for his wishes.
A criminal charge is merely an accusation and defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.