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Two U.P. priests charged

LANSING — Criminal sexual conduct charges have been filed against two priests associated with the Catholic Diocese of Marquette.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel filed multiple charges in three Upper Peninsula counties against former priests Gary Allen Jacobs and Roy Joseph by her department’s Clergy Abuse Investigation Team.

Jacobs, 74, of Albuquerque New Mexico, was arrested in New Mexico and faces extradition to Michigan to face the charges, which include multiple criminal sexual conduct counts with incidents in Ontonagon County reportedly occurring between Jan. 1, 1981 and Dec. 31, 1984, as well as reported occurrences in Dickinson County between March 1, 1984, and April 30, 1984.

He faces a total of seven charges in two separate cases in Ontonagon County and is being charged with six counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a child between the age of 13 and 16 with up to life in prison and a lifetime of electronic monitoring for each count, and one count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a person under 13 years old with a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, the release states.

Joseph, 52, previously of Marquette, was charged with one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct relating to an incident that reportedly occurred on or about Feb. 21, 2006, while he served as a priest in Marquette County. The felony is punishable by a maximum of life in prison and a lifetime of electronic monitoring.

He currently resides in India.

“Our team continues to vigorously pursue this investigation to ensure justice for the victims who courageously come forward and identify their abusers,” Nessel said. “Our team of investigators are working day and day out to hold these defendants accountable.”

The Michigan Attorney General’s office also recently hired Paul Carbini as its first full-time victim advocate for the Clergy Abuse Investigation Team, according to a press release.

Prior to joining the Criminal Division, Carbini served as the assistant director of direct services with Sexual Response at Columbia University in New York where he supervised advocates who maintained a 24/7/365 confidential helpline and provided crisis intervention and advocacy services to victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking and other crimes.

He has experience working with the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps speaking to service members and conducting trainings on sexual assault, domestic violence and stalking. His career of being an advocate began with Sexual Aggression Peer Advocates at Central Michigan University.

To submit information about sexual abuse by a clergy member, call 844-324-3374, email aginvestigations@michigan.gov or submit information anonymously online.

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