PHILADELPHIA – In a shocking turn of events, 83-year-old Robert Brennan, a former Catholic priest from Perryville, Maryland, pleaded guilty to lying to investigators about not knowing a former parishioner and victim of sexual abuse.
According to court documents, Brennan was questioned by the FBI in April 2019 as part of an investigation into church sex abuse. During the interview, Brennan made several false statements, including that prior to the filing of the 2013 criminal case and civil lawsuit against him, he did not know Sean McIlmail, his father, mother or brother.
The charges against Brennan stem from an interview conducted in April 2019, during which he was questioned by the FBI. The investigation, which was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, also received assistance from the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, and the Philadelphia Police Department.
Brennan, who served in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia from 1993 to 2004 as a priest at Resurrection of Our Lord parish, was charged by Indictment in September 2019 with four counts of making materially false statements in a matter within the jurisdiction of the executive branch of the United States government.
Sean McIlmail, the victim of Brennan’s alleged abuse, filed a civil lawsuit against the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and Brennan in November 2013. The lawsuit was settled for an undisclosed amount in May 2018.
“Making false statements to the FBI is a serious crime that threatens the integrity of our justice system, and we will hold offenders accountable no matter who they are,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle L. Morgan. A sentencing hearing has not been scheduled.
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Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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