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  St. Joe Friar Pleads Guilty to Molesting

The Chronicle-Telegram
March 14, 1986

CLEVELAND (AP) – A teacher fired early this year from St Joseph High School has

pleaded guilty to sexually molesting four pupils at the all-boys school.

Brother Paul Botty, 36, is to be sentenced March 26 by Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Donald C. Nugent.

Botty, a teacher at the Catholic school for six years, pleaded guilty Thursday to three counts of sexual battery and a single count of attempted sexual battery.

Botty has been accused of molesting the boys between May 1983 and the fall of 1985. He was indicted March 4 by a Cuyahoga County grand jury on five counts of gross sexual imposition and 11 counts of sexual battery. An agreement with prosecutors led to Botty's plea COUNTY PROSECUTOR John T. Corngan represented the state at the plea. It is rare for Corrigan to appear in court, particulary to take a plea.

Botty was represented by lawyer Robert J. Babcock.

Officials of the Cleveland Catholic Diocese described Botty, a Marianist Brother, as an excellent teacher in the school's English department. His pupils were juniors and seniors.

He was dismissed from the school Jan. 27 after the diocese initiated an investigation into the allegations of sexual misconduct.

Botty is undergoing psychiatric treatment.

Prosecutors said the incidents occurred at the brothers' residence on St. Joseph campus.

The school has an enrollment of 850.

 
 

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