Priest Accused Of Stealing $83,000 To Pay Off Porn Debt

HAVERHILL (CBS/AP) – The former pastor of a parish in Haverhill is facing some serious charges.

Police say Rev. Keith LeBlanc of St. John the Baptist Church stole more than $83,000 and used it pay off $25,000 in pornography-related credit card debt.

"Because this is an ongoing legal proceeding, it would be inappropriate for me to comment. That said we continue to pray for Fr. LeBlanc, for the parish of St. John the Baptist and for all those impacted by these events," Terrence Donilon, communications director for the Archdiocese of Boston, told WBZ-TV in an email Sunday.

LeBlanc resigned in June after six years as pastor of St. John's. He was arraigned last week on larceny and forgery charges and released on personal recognizance.

A police report obtained by the Eagle-Tribune of Lawrence said LeBlanc had a credit card he used for online pornography and that he admitted to an investigator for the Boston archdiocese that he needed help for a pornography addiction.

The report said LeBlanc had gone to a recovery center in Pennsylvania for priests with behavioral issues.

A message left with LeBlanc's attorney was not immediately returned.

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