Vatican arrests diplomat accused of viewing child porn

Erin Kelly | USA TODAY

The Vatican arrested a diplomat Saturday who was recalled from his Washington, D.C., post last year while under investigation for possessing child pornography in the United States and Canada.

A statement from the Vatican identified the accused man as Msgr. Carlo Alberto Capella, a high-ranking priest in the Vatican's diplomatic corps. He was arrested after a warrant was issued by the Vatican's chief magistrate at the conclusion of an investigation, according to the statement.

Capella was being held in a cell in the police barracks inside the Vatican. If indicted and convicted in a Vatican trial, he faces up to 12 years in prison.

Canadian police in Windsor, Ontario, said Capella allegedly uploaded child porn from a social networking site while visiting a "place of worship" during the 2016 Christmas holiday from Dec. 24-27. The Windsor police accused Capella of accessing, possessing and distributing child pornography.

Capella was recalled from the U.S. by the Vatican last fall. The Vatican recalled him after the State Department notified it on Aug. 21 of "possible violation of laws relating to child pornography images" by one of its diplomats in Washington.

The State Department had asked the Vatican to waive Capella's diplomatic immunity so that he could be prosecuted in the U.S., but the Vatican refused.

Capella served on the Italy desk in the Vatican’s secretariat of state. He was part of the official delegation that negotiated a tax treaty with Italy and also served in Hong Kong before being sent to the U.S. Embassy last year. He entered the diplomatic corps in 2004.

Pope Francis has declared a "zero tolerance" policy for child abuse after the high-profile sex abuse cases that have plagued the Catholic Church.