UPDATE:: Ex-Los Banos priest begins jail time for child-porn conviction__
A disgraced Catholic priest who led a Los Banos parish for five years before he was caught with child pornography is serving his sentence behind bars at the John Latorraca Correctional Facility in Merced County, the Sheriff’s Office confirmed Tuesday.
The Rev. Robert E. Gamel, former lead priest of St. Joseph Church in Los Banos, surrendered to the sheriff’s office Monday to begin his 11-month jail sentence, Capt. Greg Sullivan confirmed to the Merced Sun-Star.
Gamel, 66, pleaded guilty in March to a felony count of possession of child pornography. He was sentenced in May to serve 11 months in jail but was expected to ask the sheriff’s office to convert his jail time to an alternative program.
A Catholic priest who has been charged with possession of child pornography pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in Los Banos on Friday.
The Rev. Robert Gamel stood next to his attorney in Merced Superior Court and declared he was not guilty of a felony count of possession of matter depicting sexual conduct of a person under the age of 18.
If convicted, Gamel faces up to three years in jail or prison. Judge Harry Jacobs set Gamel’s next court appearance, a pre-preliminary hearing, for July 29 at 1:30 p.m.
Gamel, 64, was arrested June 10, following a 10-month investigation by the Los Banos Police Department.
Ex-pastor pleads not guilty in porn case | The Merced Sun-Star The Merced Sun-Star
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