State-Journal.com - UPDATED: Former Good Shepherd Priest enters plea on sex charges

Rev. Joseph Muench, a former associate priest at Good Shepherd Church, will be sentenced in May after he entered an Alford plea to amended charges in his sexual abuse case.

Muench, 54, of Lexington, entered an Alford plea – meaning he doesn’t admit to the crimes, but there’s sufficient evidence to convict him – Thursday to amended charges of first-degree unlawful imprisonment and criminal attempt to commit sexual abuse in the first degree, his plea agreement says.

He originally faced two counts of first-degree sexual abuse.

Muench faces up to six years, but the commonwealth recommends one year and will take no position on probation, his plea agreement says.

If Muench pleaded guilty to his original charges, he’d face up to 10 years.

Muench was indicted in October for sexually abusing one victim by force between July 1, 1980, and Dec. 31, 1981, and another between July 1, 1984, and Dec. 31, 1985, his indictment says.

One victim was older than 18 at the time and the other was 16. Their names won’t be released, Commonwealth’s Attorney Larry Cleveland said Friday.

Franklin Circuit Judge Thomas Wingate accepted the plea in his chambers Thursday, Cleveland said.

Wingate will sentence Muench May 21, Cleveland said.

One victim has sued the Catholic Diocese of Covington and Bishop Roger J. Foys for not reporting Muench’s sexual abuse allegations to authorities and for creating an atmosphere that encouraged Muench’s alleged sexual abuse by turning a blind eye to reported incidents.

The victim says he suffers from depression, anxiety, insomnia, post-traumatic stress disorder and other emotional and psychological disorders as a result Muench’s sexual abuse, according to the lawsuit filed Nov. 13.

The case is pending in Franklin Circuit Court.

Cleveland wanted to protect the identity of the victims and didn’t want to “reopen any old wounds” with the victims during a trial, he said Friday.

“Given all those considerations, we’ve decided to plead the case out,” Cleveland said.

As part of his plea agreement, Muench will never “be employed or act in a position of trust or authority with respect to any minor.”

The State Journal reported in July that the Catholic Diocese of Lexington’s Bishop Ronald W. Gainer suspended Muench July 13 after investigating the alleged sexual misconduct. He was the pastor at Mary Queen of the Holy Rosary in Lexington at the time.

The lawyer representing the three men in the original allegations, B. Keith Saksefski of Louisville, said in a letter to the diocese that the sexual abuse happened while Muench was an associate pastor at Good Shepherd Church between 1984 and 1986.

Calls to Saksefski were not returned.

As called for by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ 2002 “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People,” the review board advises the bishop when allegations of sexual misconduct or sexual abuse are brought against a priest.

“Meeting July 8, the review board determined that the preliminary investigation of the allegations possessed a semblance of truth, warranting the suspension of ministry and further investigation,” a statement from the diocese in July said.

Cleveland told The State Journal Friday he isn’t sure how the Catholic Diocese of Lexington will handle Muench now that the criminal case is nearing resolution.

“The Catholic Church would not return my phone calls in respect to that,” Cleveland said. “I was never, ever able to talk to anybody with the Catholic Church above the rank of deacon.

“I called the bishop on multiple occasions, but he never took my calls, nor did he return my calls.”