A Catholic parish and school in the Diocese of Columbus, Ohio, has fired an employee who was in charge of background checks and sexual abuse awareness training after he was arrested for possessing materials depicting child pornography and abuse.
The employee, John Denzel, 60, worked as the safe environment coordinator for St. Brigid of Kildare, a parish and pre-K through eighth grade school in Dublin, Ohio.
He was arrested by the Union County Sheriff’s Office on Aug. 5, according to a report by the sheriff’s office.
An official with the Union County Court of Ohio told CNA that Denzel was incarcerated for a short time at the Tri-County Regional Jail and has since been released on his own recognizance.
Denzel, who has been employed by St. Brigid of Kildare since 2017 and has held the position of safe environment coordinator since 2022, was indicted on 15 charges related to possessing child pornography on July 26.
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