Father Leo Charles Koppala pleaded guilty on March 17 to criminal sexual
conduct charges involving a minor child and is likely to be deported to India,
according to local CBS News.
Koppala, 47, was a priest of the Nellore Diocese in Andhra Pradesh in South
India where he reportedly helped raise money to support an orphanage, according
to Fairmont Sentinel.
Koppala was charged in the case in June 2013 and could have faced up to 36
years in prison.
He had been placed on administrative leave from the Diocese of Winona in
southern Minnesota since June 10, 2013, but was permanently terminated from the
ministry after Monday’s sentencing, the CBS said.
Koppala was taken into custody by the Department of Homeland Security and
will remain in custody until his likely deportation. He had been accused of
sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl June 8, 2013. The victim was spending the
weekend at her grandmother’s house when the assault took place.
According to a criminal complaint, her grandmother invited Koppala over for
supper and at one point in the evening the victim went downstairs to watch
television. Koppala later came down the stairs, pulled the victim up from where
she was sitting and told her that he was glad to be away from her
grandmother.
He then allegedly kissed the victim on the cheeks and lips and touched her
inappropriately. Koppala has also told her, when she was done with school he
wanted to come to her house so they could be free together and that he loved
her, the complaint said.
According to CBS News, when the grandmother was interviewed she confirmed
that Koppala had gone downstairs while she was on the phone.
She said that when they both came upstairs, she could tell by the victim’s
demeanour that she was upset about something.
After Koppala left the victim told her what happened, the complaint
said.
Under his sentencing guidelines, Koppala must register as a predatory
offender and have no contact with females under the age of 18, CBS
said.
No comments:
Post a Comment