Local priest charged with sexually assaulting altar boy
A local priest was charged with sexually assaulting an altar boy multiple times when the boy was between the ages of 11 and 14.
The Rev. Andrew Kawecki, 65, of Broadway Street in Scottdale, turned himself in at Fayette County Magisterial District Judge Daniel C. Shimshock鈥檚 Masontown office Wednesday, according to Attorney General Josh Shapiro. The alleged abuse of the boy, who is now in his 20s, began in 2004.
The 鈥渇orced sexual encounters鈥� occurred in the back room of Sts. Cyril and Methodius Church in Fairchance where Kawecki prepared for services before mass, Shapiro alleged.
Kawecki was removed from his post in May 2019, when the allegations were reported to the diocese because the alleged victim applied to the Survivor鈥檚 Compensation Fund .
Kawecki鈥檚 personnel file did not document any allegations of child sexual abuse, but did include 鈥渁 long history of impulse control,鈥� deception and abuse of power, in addition to documented problems with adult female parishioners, theft and 鈥渟ome questionable relationships,鈥� according to the affidavit of probable cause.
鈥淭hese findings were not known to the parish faithful and, as a result, the victim鈥檚 parents thought that Kawecki was a safe person to have unsupervised around their son,鈥� Special Agent Stephen J. Adametz wrote in the affidavit.
The Diocese said in a statement Wednesday there were no other allegations made against Kawecki, and that Kawecki denies the allegation.
According to court documents, Kawecki would often ask for the boy specifically when he was conducting masses, and would ask that he be dropped off one hour before mass and sometimes ask him to stay later. He allegedly assaulted him before or after mass when no one else was in the church.
Kawecki allegedly 鈥済roomed鈥� the boy through a 鈥渟low and gradual鈥� process that began with simple handshakes and progressed to 鈥渓ong hugs鈥� and rubbing his shoulders, before he allegedly began sexually assaulting him at least 10 to 15 times, court documents said.
鈥淕rooming鈥� refers to a process used by sexual predators to gain the trust of a child, sometimes by giving them special treatment.
鈥淭he victim鈥檚 parents considered it a[n] honor and beneficial for their son to have a role model like a priest involved in their son鈥檚 life,鈥� Adametz wrote.
In the final incident of alleged sexual abuse, Kawecki reportedly told the boy not to tell anyone and said 鈥渙nly God, the victim and Kawecki needed to know about it,鈥� Adametz wrote.
The alleged victim told investigators he became 鈥渆xtremely resistant鈥� to continue in altar service after that. The alleged abuse continued until the boy鈥檚 family left the church in 2007, court documents said.
鈥淭he assaults left a profound, lasting imprint on the victim鈥檚 life in a very negative manor,鈥� Adametz wrote, including multiple suicide attempts, addiction, anger, rage and depression.
While the alleged victim鈥檚 parents told investigators they had no idea he was being abused, the mother said they left the church in part due to hearing stories about Kawecki鈥檚 sexual behavior. The stories were confirmed to investigators by a family friend.
The parents told investigators their son was 鈥渁 happy go lucky kid鈥� whose personality changed drastically during his time serving with Kawecki. He would become angry and defiant when it was time to go to church, and hid from them in the closet when it was his time to serve Mass or when they talked about church. His mother said when she picked him up from serving mass 鈥渟he would find him quiet, on the verge of tears, quiet in a depressed state or full of rage,鈥� Adametz wrote. She would ask him what was wrong, but he would not tell her, she said.
Kawecki was arraigned on charges of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, corruption of minors and two counts of indecent assault. His bail was set at $50,000 unsecured, meaning he did not have to post bail as a condition of release.
Shapiro asked that anyone with relevant information about Kawecki contact the Attorney General鈥檚 Office using the Clergy Abuse Hotline at 1-888-538-8541.
鈥淎nyone struggling to come forward, know that my office is listening, we are here, and we won鈥檛 be afraid to take on tough fights to do what鈥檚 right,鈥� Shapiro said.
Kawecki served in the following assignments:
May 1980 鈥� associate pastor, Immaculate Conception, Irwin; May 1981 鈥� associate pastor, St. John Baptist, Perryopolis; August 1983 鈥� associate pastor, St. Mary of Czestochowa, New Kensington; June 1990 鈥� parochial vicar, St. Sebastian, Belle Vernon; July 1990 鈥� chaplain, Catholic Daughters of the Americas, Belle Vernon; July 1990 鈥� chaplain, Knights of Columbus, Belle Vernon; June 1992 鈥� reverend, St. James, Maxwell; June 1992 鈥� reverend, St. Julian, Isabella; June 1995 鈥� pastor, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Leckrone; June 2002 鈥� pastor, Church of the Resurrection, Clymer; July 2004 鈥� pastor, Sts. Cyril and Methodius, Fairchance; July 2007 鈥� administrator, St. Hubert, Point Marion; June 2013 鈥� pastor, St. John the Baptist, Scottdale; June 2013 鈥� administrator, St. Joseph, Everson and May 2016 鈥� trust advisor, Conn-Area Catholic School, Connellsville.
Diocesan officials said if the allegation is found to be 鈥渃redible and substantiated,鈥� Kawecki will be added to the diocese鈥檚 list of priests who have had credible or substantiated allegations made against them.
鈥溾�楥redible and substantiated鈥� means that the allegation was proven to be supported by either an admission by the individual to the abuse, a preponderance of the evidence, or through a comprehensive canonical, civil or criminal investigation,鈥� the statement indicated.