So, what's new? Well, this one actually used girls!
KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Reuters) - A Kansas City Catholic priest pleaded guilty to federal child pornography charges on Thursday, admitting to the crimes just weeks before he was scheduled to go on trial for taking sexually explicit photos of several young girls.
Shawn Ratigan, 46, pleaded guilty to four counts of producing child pornography and one count of attempting to produce child pornography using girls as young as 2 years old. The photos, taken with still cameras and a cell phone, included close-up pictures of the children's genitals. He faces 15-30 years in prison on each of the five counts, when sentenced at a later date.
Prosecutors said because of his guilty plea they would drop additional charges but said Ratigan would receive no other concession in exchange for his guilty plea.
"When a defendant who wears a religious collar who has the trust of a community engages in conduct of this nature his crimes are more devastating and more reprehensible," said David Ketchmark, acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri. "He will face stiff mandatory penalties. He won't have an opportunity to harm another child."
Ketchmark said prosecutors would recommend a "virtual life sentence."
Clad in an orange jail suit and flanked by his attorneys, Ratigan showed no emotion when entering his guilty pleas and repeatedly admitted under questioning by the judge that he had produced child pornography using five girls from 2005 to 2009.
The actions took place at several locations - including a church choir loft, prosecutors said.
Ratigan's arrest last year rocked the Catholic community in Kansas City as he had been known by members of the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph as a fun-loving priest who had a special fondness for recording children's parties and events with his camera.
Joe? An atheist conspiracy???
"You wet yet, my child?"
