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Vilnius Archdiocese priest charged with 34 sexual crimes against minors
A priest from the Vilnius Archdiocese in Lithuania has been charged with 34 intentional crimes involving sexual offenses against minors. The Vilnius District Prosecutor's Office announced that the charges include crimes against sexual autonomy, crimes against children, and crimes against morality.
According to Chief Prosecutor Justas Laucius, the crimes allegedly took place over a 23-year period between 2002 and 2025. Eleven victims, aged between 12 and 18 at the time of the incidents, have been officially recognized. The offenses were reportedly committed across six different locations in Lithuania, primarily within residential premises belonging to the Roman Catholic Church.
The specific charges include 13 instances of encouraging children to consume alcohol, nine instances of using child pornography, four instances of sexual exploitation of persons under 16, and three instances of sexual gratification in violation of a minor's autonomy. Additionally, the priest faces two counts of minor rape and one count of child rape.
The defendant has been issued a travel ban, and his passport has been seized. His assets have also been restricted to ensure potential civil claims from victims. Under the Lithuanian Criminal Code, the maximum sentence for the most serious charges is 15 years in prison.
Entities
Justas Laucius · Lithuanian Psychological Union · Lithuanian Psychologists Union · Vilnius Archdiocese · Vilnius District Court · Vilnius District Prosecutor's Office
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 3 SOURCES] The crimes allegedly occurred over a 23-year period from 2002 to 2025. jauns.lv · nra.lv · ve.lt
- [● 3 SOURCES] Charges include two counts of minor rape and one count of child rape. jauns.lv · nra.lv · ve.lt
- [● 3 SOURCES] Charges include nine instances of using child pornography. jauns.lv · nra.lv · ve.lt
- [● 3 SOURCES] Charges include four instances of sexual exploitation of persons under 16. jauns.lv · nra.lv · ve.lt
- [● 3 SOURCES] Charges include 13 instances of encouraging children to consume alcohol. jauns.lv · nra.lv · ve.lt
- [● 3 SOURCES] Eleven victims have been recognized in the case, aged between 12 and 18 at the time of the crimes. jauns.lv · nra.lv · ve.lt
- [● 3 SOURCES] A priest from the Vilnius Archdiocese has been charged with 34 intentional crimes. jauns.lv · nra.lv · ve.lt
- [● 3 SOURCES] The maximum sentence for the most serious charges is 15 years in prison. jauns.lv · nra.lv · ve.lt