Six New Charges for Former Jackson Priest Accused of Sexual Abuse

By Theresa Ghiloni
MLive
June 26, 2015

http://www.mlive.com/news/jackson/index.ssf/2015/06/six_new_charges_for_former_jac.html

James Rapp exits the courtroom after his probable cause hearing in front of district Judge Joseph Filip at the Jackson County Clerks office in Jackson, Mich. Wednesday, June 26, 2015. Rapp is facing 19 criminal sexual conduct charges. (Jessica Christian | MLive.com)

James Rapp stands in front of the district Judge Joseph Filip during his probable cause hearing at the Jackson County Clerks office in Jackson, Mich. Wednesday, June 26, 2015. Rapp is facing 19 criminal sexual conduct charges. (Jessica Christian | MLive.com)

Judge Joseph Filip in the courtroom during the probable cause hearing for James Rapp at the Jackson County Clerks office in Jackson, Mich. Wednesday, June 26, 2015. Rapp is facing 19 criminal sexual conduct charges. (Jessica Christian | MLive.com)

Six new charges were added against a former Jackson Lumen Christi High School priest Friday morning for sexual abuse he allegedly committed more than 30 years ago.

James Rapp, 76, was arraigned on 13 charges of criminal sexual conduct in late May, but now faces 19 charges of criminal sexual conduct. Assistant Attorney General Angela Povilaitis amended the charges against Rapp during a probable cause hearing in Jackson County District Judge Joseph Filip's courtroom June 26 saying two new victims have come forward since the original charges were authorized.

Rapp now faces seven counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and 12 counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct for crimes the Attorney General's Office say occurred between August 1981 and February 1986.

He waived his right to a preliminary examination and the case has been forwarded to Circuit Judge Susan Beebe.

Rapp served as a priest, teacher, maintenance supervisor and wrestling coach during his time at Lumen Christi High School from 1980-86. He is currently serving a 40-year prison sentence in Oklahoma, after he was convicted in 1999 of sexually abusing two teen-age boys in Duncan, Oklahoma, where he was a church pastor, according to Jackson Citizen Patriot archives.

Rapp is being held at Michigan prison on a $1 million bond on the charges out of Jackson County.

He was ordained in 1959. He went on to work in Philadelphia from 1959-61; Salt Lake City from 1968-73; Lockport, N.Y., from 1979-80; Naperville, Ill., from 1987-90; and Duncan, Okla., from 1990-98, according to the Attorney General's office.

Each count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct carries a maximum sentence of up to life in prison and each count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct carries a maximum penalty of up to 15 years in prison.

Contact: tghiloni@mlive.com