Michael Zacharias’s victims said the priest waited until they began abusing drugs before he sexually trafficked them

Michael Zacharias’s victims said the priest waited until they began abusing drugs before he sexually trafficked them

A Roman Catholic priest received a life sentence on Friday for his convictions on five counts related to sex-trafficking charges in the molestation of three boys whom prosecutors say he met at an Ohio preschool and coerced to continue sexual activity as adults.

Michael Zacharias, 56, received concurrent, maximum life sentences for counts of sex trafficking a minor and sex trafficking of a minor by force, fraud or coercion. He received concurrent 20-year sentences for two counts of sex trafficking of an adult by force, fraud or coercion, and one of similarly trafficking a minor.

  • HuddaBudda@kbin.social
    48·
    8 months ago

    (he) commercial sex overtures by gradually sexualizing conversations and conduct with them. At the same time, the victims were developing serious opiate addictions, using pain medication and, later, heroin. (the priest) waited to propose commercial sex until he knew the victims were so heavily involved in drug abuse that it was impacting their daily lives, physical and mental well-being and ability to maintain a stable school or work life.

    This guy needs to be sent to hell with the force of a super nova.

    This is also your monthly christian reminder:
    Priests: 15+
    Drag queens: 0

    • synae[he/him]@lemmy.sdf.orgEnglish
      15·
      8 months ago

      Hell’s not real, so justice must be pursued during his time on earth. This is a start but I doubt his victims and their families consider it sufficient.

    • Dark Arc@social.packetloss.ggEnglish
      19·
      8 months ago

      Hey no. The state does not elect that [insert your own expletives here], just one heavily gerrymandered district. That guy would not stand a chance in a state wide election and he knows it.

      There’s a reason the Republicans are so keen on keeping our state heavily gerrymandered; they would not get near the representation they do without their dirty tricks, and with a bit of luck within the next couple of years the map drawing process will be ripped out of their hands by another ballot measure.

  • Jo Miran@lemmy.ml
    251·
    8 months ago

    Allow priest to get married and maybe you get more applicants from outside the sexually frustrated pedophile bucket.

    • flambonkscious@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      6·
      8 months ago

      Hell yeah. I can’t believe the blind spot they have about this. Of course abstinence creates problems. I understand their rationale, but it’s so willfully naïve it’s almost like they’re working with an ulterior motive

      • creamed_eels@toast.ooo
        10·
        8 months ago

        IIRC I read the abstinence thing was instituted to prevent any possible offspring from inheriting church assets. Certainly the billions and billions in church assets are now locked down in an iron clad, convoluted off-shore scheme beyond the reach of pretty much everyone, so no reason to not let priests marry.

    • assassin_aragorn@lemmy.world
      4·
      8 months ago

      I don’t think abstinence is driving them to be pedophiles, but that the Church won’t oust pedophiles. Their reaction to all these stories wasn’t a joint investigation with governments to find all instances of abuse and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law – it was to circle their wagons, keep it a secret, and just internally “discipline” them.

      It’s the same reason why Republicans seem to so often turn up pedophiles. The mentality of “keep it all in the family” leads to the sick fucks not being kicked to the curb, because they don’t want anyone to hear about it. They have a culture of covering up abuses instead of loudly denouncing them.

      • Jo Miran@lemmy.ml
        71·
        8 months ago

        You misunderstood my comment. I believe that abstinence keeps many people from pursuing a life in the church. To an incredibly lesser degree It is also possible that a life of celibacy might attract certain pedophiles who are battling their urges. Use the church as a way to seek refuge from temptation.

    • rambling_lunatic@sh.itjust.works
      3·
      8 months ago

      Alas, the fundies seem to have problems with their priests too. I’ve seem more headlines of them diddling adults than kids though. Progress!

  • Szymon@lemmy.caEnglish
    9·
    8 months ago

    The far right has self identified that they’re against these things. With their sense of consistency which isn’t hippo critical hypocritical at all, I’m sure the Catholic Church will have a lot of gun toting red hats protesting at their front door now, right?

  • stopthatgirl7@kbin.social
    91·
    8 months ago

    I got as far as “met in preschool” in the headline and my brain stuttered to a halt and filled with obscenities.

    I hope that dude rots. May he never know a moment of peace in person and spend every moment looking over his shoulder in fear someone’s finally coming to beat him into pulp.

    • Kit@lemmy.blahaj.zone
      1·
      7 months ago

      If it’s any consolation, they weren’t preschoolers. It was a click bait headline and the kids were around 18 when this happened. Not saying it’s not still heinous, but at least it’s not drug-addicted toddlers.

    • Mouselemming@sh.itjust.works
      10·
      8 months ago

      Even if not, he would have been in a perfect position to steer them in a better direction than drugs, but he chose to degrade them instead. Sins of omission as well as commission.

  • Harpsist@lemmy.world
    1·
    7 months ago

    But is it an eternal life sentence?

    Yes. Yes it is. Because he believes in a cruel punishing God who absolutely loves eternal suffering and torment.

    And life is what you believe in.