Chelmsford Priest Charged In Craigslist Sex Sting
NASHUA, N.H. (WBZ) ― A priest serving at a Chelmsford church is accused of soliciting sex from a woman at a Nashua, New Hampshire hotel.


WHAT A HANDSOME YOUND MAN. IF 'AM A LADY OR GAY, I'LL FALL FOR HIM, BUT AM NOT, WHY USE A love-peddler?

Rev. William Ventura, 31, of Nashua, New Hampshire was one of eight men arrested during a prostitution sting on April 9. "We are trying to keep prostitution down, and everything that comes with it," says Nashua Police Captain Scott Brown.

Ventura and the other men involved had allegedly responded to an ad posted on Craigslist and were planning to pay a woman for sex.

The Nashua police sting was aimed at Internet prostitution. They used a police officer who posed as a female love-peddler.

Ventura, who is charged with one count of prostitution, has voluntarily taken a leave of absence while his case is under investigation.

He had been serving at St. John the Evangelist parish as a parochial vicar. One parish member told WBZ, "If that's what he wants, fine, but he needs to leave the church."

All eight men were released on bail. Ventura is due back in court on April 22.

Ventura graduated from St. John's Seminary in 2002, and told WBZ then, "The challenges of the priesthood haven't really changed; I still need to go and help people."

Ventura was ordained in 2006. Before serving at St. John's, Ventura worked at St. Joseph's Parish in Needham as a deacon.


WBZ's Bill Shields contributed to this report.
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http://wbztv.com/local/newhampshire/chelmsford.priest.arrest.2.1630010.html

he is only human, don't blame him