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Former Metro Detroit priest sentenced to prison for sexually abusing teens in 1970s

By Amber Ainsworth
Published  January 20, 2022 12:24pm EST
Crime and Public Safety
FOX 2 Detroit

WYANDOTTE, Mich. (FOX 2) - A former priest at Metro Detroit Catholic churches will spend between 17 months and 15 months in prison for sexually abusing teens.

Gary Berthiaume, 79, pleaded guilty in November to two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct and no contest to one count of gross indecency in connection with incidents in the 1970s.

Officials say Berthiaume abused three victims between the ages of 13 and 15. He was a priest at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Wyandotte and Our Lady of Sorrows in Farmington during the period that officials say the abuse happened.

Berthiaume will also register as a tier II sex offender and undergo counseling. 

"While we recognize no sentence can ever undo the harm inflicted on survivors of sexual abuse, it remains our priority to secure accountability for those who bravely share their stories," Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said.