St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office, Attorney Bradley Phillips, who represents both Dixon and Cheng, told, on Friday that the district attorneys office "has rightfully chosen to not pursue obscenity charges against my clients. Copyright 2020 WVUE. (He) certainly does not want to be remembered in infamy. On Monday, Nov. 21, Travis Clark pleaded guilty before District Judge Ellen Creel, according to the Warren Montgomery District Attorney's Office. ", Phillips has not immediately responded to. My clients look forward to their day in court as we continue to fight this baseless allegation.". The three have now face one count of institutional vandalism each. Has he had possibly with minor. They are accused of knowingly vandalizing, defacing, or otherwise damaging property and causing damage valued at over $500 and under $50,000, at the church, according to the district attorneys office. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. We acknowledge the charges filed against Travis Clark and Patrick Wattigny by the St. Tammany District Attorneys Office. Market data provided by Factset. SNAP leader, Kevin Bourgeois says with such a cluster of sexual abuse and obscenity in the ranks of the priesthood, he fears for other possible sexual abuse, and the lack of judgment he says starts at the top. The Archdiocese of New Orleans removed him the day after his arrest. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Rev. Dixon and Clark were both sentenced to serve two years of probation. As part of their plea deals, both dominatrices reportedly agreed to testify against Clark if his case ever went to trial. Travis Clark was sentenced to three years of supervised probation after his plea in Louisianas 22nd Judicial District Court on Monday. SNAP calls for Vatican investigation after alleged orgy on church altar, La. The fine Clark is responsible for paying comes in addition to the restitution he already paid to the church. In a statement last week, Archbishop Gregory Aymond said the Archdiocese is cooperating with law enforcement and will petition the Vatican for the laicization of both Travis and Patrick Wattigny, another former north shore priest who was indicted last week on a count of molestation of a juvenile. Father Travis Clark, 37, and the two women he was caught with making a pornographic video, each faces up to two years imprisonment if found guilty. Travis Clark, 37, through a church window engaged with two high-heeled, corseted women. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. All three were then arrested on obscenity charges because they were in view of the public. Clarks defense attorney said the ex-priest had already paid $8,000 in restitution to the Archdiocese of New Orleans after the altar was declared desecrated and ordered to be burned and replaced, the outlet reported. Clarks defense attorney, Michael Kennedy, reportedly told the newspaper that active probation serves very little purpose for his client, who almost certainly will not be repeating similar conduct in the future. woman accused of using aunts debit card for 136 DoorDash orders held on preset $18 million bond, Juvenile injured after homemade pipe bomb detonated, police say, Mixed reaction after new altar consecrated following pastors obscenity charges with dominatrices. All rights reserved. You have permission to edit this article. Published: 16:26 EST, 21 November 2022 | Updated: 16:28 EST, 21 November 2022. A Catholic priest caught having a threesome with two porn stars on his church altar will not be charged with obscenity. CHILLING UPDATE. REVEREND Travis Clark was arrested for filming himself having sex with two dominatrices inside a church on September 30. 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Travis Clark, 39, entered the plea as part of an agreement with prosecutors on Monday. content language. (Google Maps). Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Pearl River when the arrest took place. If convicted, they could be sentenced to up to two years in prison, with or without hard labor, and a fine of not more than $1,000 or both, according to the DA's office. Clark had been the pastor of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church Catholic in Pearl River and was arrested in October of 2020 when witnesses saw two women and him having sex on the altar of the church, the release states. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. "Defendant Clark was not seeking pecuniary gain or fame in any form. A preliminary hearing is set for May 18, and his trial date is May 24. (Photo by David Grunfeld, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate), Roman Catholic Archbishop Gregory Aymond, pictured entering the Presbytere in New Orleans after celebrating Easter Mass at St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans on April 12, traveled Saturday to Saints Peter and Paul Church in Pearl River to consecrate a new altar during vigil Mass. My three-year-old grandson could win his prosecution because he knows how to press the play button this is a very straightforward case, Raspanti said. According to a press release from the Washington and St. Tammany Parishes District Attorneys Office, the sentence range for Clarks crime was between six months to three years behind bars. While the three wereoriginally charged with obscenity countslast fall, on Friday the St. Tammany Parish District Attorneys Office announced those charges had been reduced. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. A former Catholic priest who pleaded guilty last month to a felony obscenity charge for performing sex acts with two professional dominatrices on the altar of a Pearl River church has been held. He has paid restitution to the Archdiocese of New Orleans, which destroyed the altar. RELATED: Mixed reaction after new altar consecrated following pastors obscenity charges with dominatrices. Travis Clark, 39, a former Catholic priest in Louisiana, pleaded guilty on Monday to an obscenity charge after he was caught having a threesomeon the altar of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in 2020, The altar of Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church during a regularly scheduled Mass. The defense also said that Clarkhas been diagnosed with autism and did not knowingly enter into an agreement to waive his constitutional right to free speech. They were allegedly having intercourse with each other as a camera and cellphone appeared to be recording from a tripod on the altar, a local news outlet reported. Please include title of story. Travis Clark, 37, instead faces a charge of felony vandalism over the. Travis Clark was sentenced to. All English Franais. As for Clarks future in the courtroom, Fox 8 legal analyst, Joe Raspanti says its a pretty straightforward case, especially if supposed video evidence is brought to a St. Tammany jury. The witness saw the priest was stripped down on the altar and engaging in sex acts with the corseted women in high-heeled boots, according to prosecutors. He was ordained in 2013 and had been working at the church since 2019.. Phillips also lashed the vandalism charge as prurient, saying: Once again, they have overstepped their bounds as this nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to regulate the morality of private individuals. The former priest, Travis Clark, 39, was arrested in October 2020, after police said he was filming himself having sex with two women on the altar of St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Pearl. She executed antique engine buff friend to forge a will and inherit his house. The now former Rev. He was also ordered to pay a $1,000 fine. Travis Clark, 37, was a pastor . All rights reserved. Dixon and Clark earlier this year both entered into deals with prosecutors, in which they agreed to plead guilty to one count each of institutional vandalism, a misdemeanor. ", The filing cited "countless negative portrayals" of Clark in the media and said his intention was for people to see him as "a human being worthy of forgiveness.". A 39-year-old defrocked Catholic priest in Louisiana was spared time behind bars after formally pleading guilty to one count of felony obscenity for making a sex tape with two dominatrices on the altar of his former church in 2020. By Gina Tron Priest, Dominatrices Have Charges Reduced For Altar Sex Who is Reverend Travis Clark and why was he arrested? "Autism is a cognitive disability that inhibited Defendant Clark's understanding of the terms of the plea agreement," the filing said, adding that Clark never received a copy of the agreement. countries. How long have Keir Starmer and Sue Gray been secretly cooking up their plot? Theyve now penned a letter to Pope Francis asking him to send someone to investigate the archbishop and his records. woman accused of using aunts debit card for 136 DoorDash orders held on preset $18 million bond, Juvenile injured after homemade pipe bomb detonated, police say. Travis Clark went . Legal Statement. Travis Clark, 37, instead faces a charge of felony vandalism over the September 2020 incident at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in New Orleans. He was ordained in 2013 and had been working at the church since 2019. The original obscenity charge was filed after prosecutors alleged the three were having sex in a place open to the public view.. The electronic spies lurking in our pockets are now justice's greatest tools, Alex Murdaugh is seen with his prison buzz cut as he starts two life sentences without parole for killing his wife Maggie and son: Judge says they will 'visit you in your sleep' - as his lawyers plan appeal in ten days, Is Murdaugh family behind three other mysterious deaths? Its unclear if Clark has an attorney. Clark was caught in the unholy act more than two years ago when a passerby noticed lights on in the Pearl River church - and when he peered in through the window, he was stunned at what he saw. The only way we can know is if an investigator comes in and goes through his archives, Bourgeois said. Reverend Travis Clark, 37, worked as a priest at Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church in Pearl River, Louisiana. A former priest plead guilty to an obscenity charge after he was filmed having a threesome with two dominatrices on the altar of a Louisiana church. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. What are the secrets that hes hiding? "Once again, they have overstepped their bounds as this nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to regulate the morality of private individuals. Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020. Clark, 37, remains free on $25,000 bond, and Cheng and Dixon both remain free on $7,500 bond. In October, priests in the New Orleans archdiocese told reporters that the priest was quiet and kept to himself. Legal Statement. Clark and the women both dominatrixes who were wearing corsets and high heels were caught after a passer-by strolled past the church, noticed a light was on inside, and looked through a window, only to be confronted with the trio having sex. [Images St. Tammany Parish Sheriffs Office], Have a tip we should know? A representative of the Archdiocese of New Orleans was present and agreed to the sentence. A former priest has pleaded guilty to a charge of obscenity after he made a sex tape of him having "demonic" sex on an altar with a dominatrix duo. Each one could face up to three years in prison if convicted. Jerry Lambe is a journalist at Law&Crime. Beginning Monday morning at 9:00 A.M. is the trial of the former priest who was caught making a pornographic video on the altar. "The Court extensively questioned the defendant to ensure that he had in fact read the plea agreement and understood it," the motion said. Keep up with the latest St. Tammany Parish news by signing up for our weekly newsletter, the North Shore Report, at nola.com/northshorereport. Travis Clark, 39, a former Catholic priest in Louisiana, pleaded guilty on Monday to an obscenity charge after he was caught having a threesome. Clark was busted in an unholy trinity with Mindy Dixon and Melissa Cheng on September 30, 2020. Just because you dont like something, doesnt make it criminal. The now former Rev. Clark had also been charged with one count of institutional vandalism, but prosecutors agreed to drop the charge as part of his plea agreement, per the Advocate. An attorney for the women also issued a statement: The District Attorney has rightfully chosen to not pursue obscenity charges against my clients. Clark was ordained a priest in 2013 and became pastor of St. Peter and Paul last year. Clark was ordained a priest in 2013. A witness walked towards the church out of curiosity as the inside lights were on at an unusual time and used a cell phone to record the unexpected sight before contacting the Pearl River police. His desecration of the altar in church was demonic. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, located at 66192 St Mary Dr. in Pearl River, La. Rev. Clark was caught in the act at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Pearl River on Sept. 30, 2020, when a passerby saw him through a window engaged with two high-heeled, corseted women. The two women, Mindy Dixon and Melissa Cheng, were later identified as dominatrices; Dixon had reportedly written on social media shortly before the encounter that she and another dominatrix were on their way to defile a house of God. They each pleaded guilty in July to a misdemeanor count of institutional vandalism and got two years of supervised probation. We have and will continue to cooperate with law enforcement. Click Here to report it. Obscene acts occurred on the altar, which is clearly visible from the street," police said. The archdioceses had no comment on the request for a Vatican investigation. When the details became clear, we had the altar removed and burned. While condemning Clarks alleged sexual exploits, Aymond asked the congregation not to judge the church or priesthood as a whole by Clarks actions. The two other defendants in the case, Mindy Dixon and Melissa Cheng, each pleaded guilty in July to a single count of misdemeanor institutional vandalism. There was a problem saving your notification. NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - The St. Tammany Parish District Attorney's Office has charged a former priest and two women with vandalizing a Pearl River Church last Fall. In this situation its an incredibly specific set of facts and conditions that seem very unlikely to ever happen again, Kennedy reportedly told the Advocate, suggesting that Dixon and Cheng were far more likely to find themselves in similarly hot water.
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