A judge has sentenced a 93-year-old catholic priest in New Orleans to spend the rest of his life in prison for raping and sexually exploiting a minor boy decades ago. As per reports, priest Lawrence Hecker had pleaded guilty to charges including first degree rape and aggravated kidnapping.
Hecker’s sentencing comes amid a barrage of allegations of sexual exploitation of children at the hands of church priests that the Archdiocese of New Orleans tried to hush up for decades. The Archdiocese is facing multiple similar lawsuits and a long-running bankruptcy proceedings.
The victim, who was a teenager at that time, had stated that Hecker had promised to give him lessons in wrestling, but he took advantage of the situation and raped him. Hecker is accused of several young boys. The victim in this case was forced to undergo psychiatric evaluation by the church authorities when he tired to complain about Hecker’s abuse.
Hecker was ordained as an archdiocesan priest in 1958 and has been charged with several counts of sexual abuse against minor boys throughout the 1960s to 1980s.
