The FBI arrested a Catholic priest on charges that he sexually assaulted a minor while the two were in Colorado around 10 years ago, according to an article by Reuters. The priest lives in Chicago and is a former high school chemistry teacher. Neither the suspect nor the victim has any apparent connection to any Colorado church.

The suspect, who is a Jesuit with the Society of Jesus Chicago-Detroit Province, worked as a teacher at a high school in Detroit in 2001. Authorities say he took a minor boy to Colorado that year and committed sexual assault against him. The boy's age at the time was not given.

In a statement, the province said it had been cooperating with Colorado authorities since April, though the investigation did not formally begin until June, when the province notified the Douglas County Sheriff's Office of the allegations. The province passed on a report of the alleged sexual assault to "civil authorities" in Michigan back in 2001, the statement said. It is unclear why Colorado authorities did not investigate until now.

At the time of the original allegation, the province removed the suspect "from all public ministry," and has restricted his activities within the province since, the statement said.

Following his Nov. 21 arrest, the priest was taken to Cook County jail in anticipation of extradition to Colorado to face the criminal charges.

Readers have no doubt heard of the numerous charges against Catholic priests of sexual assault of minors in the U.S. in recent years. The church has paid out around $2 billion to settle the lawsuits.

Source: Reuters, "Priest arrested on charge of sexual assault on boy," Mary Wisniewski, Nov. 22, 2011