he Diocese of Madison said it has fully restricted the Rev. Andrew J. Showers from public ministry after his arrest Sunday in Clintonville on tentative child sex-crime charges.
The Clintonville Police Department said that at about 7:32 p.m. Sunday, Showers, 37, was taken into custody in the city. He was booked into the Waupaca County Jail on tentative charges of child enticement, use of a computer to facilitate a child sex crime, and attempted second-degree sexual assault of a child.
Police said the arrest followed allegations that Showers attempted to meet a 14-year-old girl in Clintonville.
According to the diocese, the Madison Police Department notified church officials on Monday. The diocese said its staff have been cooperating with law enforcement throughout the investigation.
“The safety of children, youth, and the vulnerable remains our highest priority and we continue to work daily to maintain safety in all regards. All employees, teachers, and volunteers must pass background checks and we follow closely all diocesan policies regarding the protection of children. The diocesan policies regarding sexual abuse allegations, and instructions for making a report of sexual misconduct, are available on the diocesan website,” the diocese said.
The diocese said Showers will remain restricted from exercising public ministry while the investigation is active and ongoing. It said it will share more information as it becomes available but had no further details as of Tuesday morning.
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