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Fla. Priest Accused Of Exposing Himself At Beach

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(Source: AP)

(Source: AP)

VENICE, Fla. (CBS4)- Authorities say a Roman Catholic priest was arrested after exposing himself to an undercover detective at a southwest Florida beach.

An arrest report from the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office said 36-year-old Bernard Chojnacki grabbed the officer inappropriately, exposed himself and said he wanted to perform a sex act on the officer at a Venice beach Tuesday afternoon. He was charged with exposing his sexual organs and battery.

Chojnacki is a priest in the St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Port Charlotte in southwest Florida. Diocese spokesman Billy Atwell on Wednesday called the charges “unsettling,” and said Chojnacki has been put on administrative leave until they are resolved.

It was unknown whether Chojnacki had retained an attorney.

Deputies were conducting an undercover operation at the beach because of complaints about lewd behavior.

(© 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

View Comments
  • Howard Camner

    Boy those priests sure do know how to spread the word don’t they? Prison would be Heaven for them.

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