CHARLEROI, Pa. — A federal grand jury has indicted a former pastor of Mary, Mother of The Church Parish in Charleroi on a child pornography charge, according to court documents unsealed Monday.
The grand jury indicted the Rev. David Dzermejko, 64, of Braddock on May 7. He pleaded not guilty to the charge Wednesday and was released on a $50,000 unsecured bond, according to court records.
According to the indictment, on or about Jan. 11, 2013, Dzermejko possessed visual depictions, namely, still images in computer graphics files, the production of which involved the use of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh placed Dzermejko on administrative leave in June 2009, when allegations surfaced that he had sexually abused minors more than 20 years ago. A diocesan review board investigated the allegations and found them “credible,” according to news stories at the time.
Channel 11's news exchange partners at TribLIVE contributed to this report.
WPXI
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/XCUXZC2XYZHCRGNNGKFEX6U3LQ.png)
