Associate pastor at Illinois church accused of possessing pornographic material depicting children under the age of 13.
An associate pastor at Roman Catholic churches in Illinois faces 16 felony child porn charges as well as a methamphetamine possession charge, authorities said.
The Rev. Gerald Hechenberger, 54, who serves at three parishes in St. Clair County, Ill., east of St. Louis, was arrested Monday after a search warrant was executed at a church rectory in Mascoutah, Ill, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.
Hechenberger was charged with “eight counts of dissemination of child pornography, seven counts of possession of child pornography (photos), one count of possession of child pornography (video) and possession of methamphetamine,” the Belleville News-Democrat reported.
Bond for Hechenberger has been set at $2 million, FOX2 Now in St. Louis reported.
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