In a somber courtroom revelation, Timothy Crowley, a former Michigan priest, has been sentenced to a year in jail for pleading guilty to sexually abusing an altar boy over three decades ago. The sentencing, handed down by a Washtenaw County judge, includes five years of probation.
Timothy Crowley, 74, pleaded guilty to two felony counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct in August. The plea agreement dismissed two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. The Ann Arbor News reports that the judge delivered the sentence on Wednesday.
The charges against Crowley stem from alleged sexual conduct with a youth between 1986 and 1990. The incidents are said to have occurred at Jackson’s St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church, Hillsdale’s St. Anthony Catholic Church, and Ann Arbor’s St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church.
The victim, an altar boy at the time, testified that the abuse began in 1982 when he was just 10 years old. Family encouragement to spend time with Crowley escalated into inappropriate touching, with the priest insisting it was “normal and natural” while sharing a bed.
In 1993, the victim’s family contacted an attorney, leading to a $200,000 payment from the Lansing Diocese to the accuser. Crowley was defrocked in 2015. Initial charges were dismissed in 2019 due to the statute of limitations, but a subsequent appeal led to the reinstatement of four of the eight sexual misconduct charges.
As justice is served in this disturbing case, the sentencing of Timothy Crowley sheds light on the enduring impact of historical abuse. The survivor’s courage in coming forward and the legal complexities surrounding the case underscore the importance of addressing such issues with diligence and empathy. Stay tuned to Hype News for further developments on this unfolding story.
