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Michigan priest accused of holding teenage boy against his will at church

Posted at 1:56 PM, Aug 22, 2019
and last updated 2019-08-22 18:49:35-04

(WXYZ) — Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has charged Father Brian Stanley, of Coloma, with one count of False Imprisonment.

Stanley, 57, is accused of holding a teenage boy against his will in the janitor's room of St. Margaret's Church in 2013. He reportedly immobilized the young man by wrapping him tightly in plastic wrap, then used masking tape as additional binding and to cover his eyes and mouth.

He allegedly left the victim, bound and alone, in the janitor's room for over an hour before returning and eventually letting him go.

“As our team continues to pore over what we previously thought was hundreds of thousands of pages of documents – but is now known to be millions of pages – seized from all seven Michigan dioceses last year, we know this is still only the beginning,” Nessel said in a release. “This is about taking on large-scale institutions that turn a blind eye to victims and making certain we hold them accountable – that includes unapologetically pursuing any and all individuals who abuse their power to victimize our residents.”

The crime reportedly occurred in the fall of 2013 when Stanley was asked by the victim's family to help counsel their son. According to a release, it is apparent from Archdiocese records that Stanley had been engaging in this type of conduct with the binding materials for decades.

Stanley was arrested by Special Agents from the Attorney General's office and bond was set at $100,000 while he waits arraignment in the 57th District Court. If convicted, Stanley could face up to 15 years in prison and would require sex offender registration.