By Journal Staff

ONTONAGON– A former priest in the Upper Peninsula has pleaded guilty to the remaining sex abuse case against him.

In April, Gary Jacobs, 75, pleaded guilty to four counts of criminal sexual conduct in Ontonagon County.

On Friday, Jacobs pleaded guilty to one count of criminal sexual conduct-second degree in Dickinson County.

The plea agreement spans both counties. Other aspects of the deal include Jacobs serving between eight and 15 years on each of the five total counts, which will run concurrently, and having a lifetime sex offender registration on the three counts of CSC-first degree and tier II registration on the CSC-second degree charge.

All victims — those involved in the charged cases and those who came forward since — can speak at sentencing if they wish.

Jacobs will undergo sex offender counseling and have lifetime electronic monitoring when released.

“I am proud of the work done by our clergy abuse team to reach this plea agreement,” Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a news release. “None of this would be possible without the courageous victims who have been willing to share their stories in order to achieve justice.”

A sentencing date in Dickinson County is set for noon July 2.

In Ontonagon County, Jacobs’ sentencing date is set for 10 a.m. May 25.

This plea agreement will result in the harshest prison sentence handed down thus far in the Michigan Attorney General’s clergy abuse investigation.

Previously, former priests Patrick Casey and Brian Stanley pleaded guilty in their respective cases.

This project was supported in part by Grant No. WE AX 0030 awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice.