Former priest charged with sexual assault on a child

SOMERVILLE, Mass. (WHDH) -- A former priest is accused of sexually assaulting a child while assigned to a Somerville church.

The alleged victim -- now 26 years old -- was a parishioner at St. James Episcopal Church in Somerville.

Prosecutors say the inappropriate contact took place inside the priest’s office over a 10-year period, beginning in the 1990s when the victim was in elementary school.

Reverend Paul A. LaCharite, 65, of Boston, was arraigned in Somerville District Court Monday answering to charges of one count of assault to rape a child and three counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14.

“He’s innocent of these charges,” said David Meier, LaCharite’s attorney.

The victim went to police last week. LaCharite was arrested last Friday by Somerville police.

LaCharite’s attorney says his client is extremely upset about the allegations.

“Father LaCharite is devastated by these allegations. The last time he was contacted by the alleged victim who is now 26 years old was about two years ago and that was to baptize the alleged victim’s first child,” Meier said.

LaCharite was released after posting $10,000 cash bail.

Prosecutors say the abuse only stopped when, as a teenager, the alleged victim and his family left St. James Church.

“I think once this case is played out in court, the truth will win out. It always does,” Meier said.

LaCharite is due back in court next month. He has been ordered by the judge to stay away from the alleged victim and is not allowed to have any unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 16.