A Mesa jury convicted an Indiana priest Thursday of molesting young boys while he worked at West Valley parishes from 1986 to 1991.
The Rev. Paul Le Brun, 49, is the first of nine priests to be tried on sexual offenses they were indicted on in 2003 after a yearlong investigation into sexual misconduct in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix.
Le Brun faces 81 to 111 years in prison when he is sentenced Jan. 13.
A 12-count grand jury indictment alleged that Le Brun molested six boys while he was at Blessed Sacrament Parish in Tolleson and St. John Vianney Parish in Goodyear.
Deputy Maricopa County attorney Rachel Mitchell said four other men from Indiana whose allegations weren’t part of the indictment also testified against Le Brun.
The Maricopa County Superior Court jury convicted Le Brun on six counts of molestation of a child and sexual conduct with a minor and acquitted him of one count of molestation. The jury couldn’t agree on five other counts.
Of the priests indicted, three have pleaded guilty, three are in other countries and one died.
