Reverend Kevin Lonergan was sentenced to up to two years in prison for indecent assault after he groped a 17-year-old girl. (Picture: CBS/CNN)

A catholic priest groped a teenage girl and sent her a pornographic video.

Reverend Kevin Lonergan, 31, was sentenced to up to two years in jail for indecent assault in Allentown, Pennsylvania on Monday.

Police said Lonergan met the 17-year-old victim at St Francis of Assisi Church in Allentown, where the girl’s family attended. Lonergan later admitted to police that he rubbed his body against the teens in a sexual manner. He also confessed to sending the girl 20 sexually explicit photos and one video.

This is not the first time Lonergan has been in trouble for his behavior towards young female parishioners. He left his previous job as the assistant pastor at St Jane Frances de Chantal Church during a similar investigation, but the 15-year-old victim, in that case, refused to cooperate with law enforcement, prosecutors Matthew Falk said.




Matthew Kerr, a spokesman for the Diocese of Allentown, said Lonergan was removed from St Jane Frances de Chantal Church because of an unfounded ‘concern,’ according to ABC News.

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Lonergan left his last parish following similar allegations which were found to be ‘unfounded’ after the alleged victim refused to testify. (Picture: Youtube/Reuters)

Lehigh County Judge Maria Dantos condemned Lonergan’s actions and compared his reassignment to the Catholic church’s highly-criticized practice of relocating problematic priests.

‘We are still transferring priests that molest children? If he had been sanctioned and fired, this victim would not be a victim,’ Dantos said, referring to Lonergan’s previous allegation as ‘hands-on molestation’ of a 15-year-old girl.

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The Allentown Diocese said it was inaccurate to claim they transferred a priest who committed an offense.

Instead, they said that Lonergan was reassigned after Northhampton County Children and Youth decided the allegation was unfounded.