Priest under investigation for sexual misconduct
Published 8:34 pm Thursday, January 25, 2018
CARVER — The Carver County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an allegation of criminal sexual misconduct against a priest in Carver.
The Rev. Thomas Joseph said in a statement that he was surprised by the allegation and is prepared to fully cooperate with the investigation because he is innocent of the accusations.
The sheriff’s department said an adult female alleges Joseph had sexual contact with her several times over the course of 2 1/2 years.
The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis said Joseph has been removed from the ministry at Saint Nicholas while the allegation is investigated. The archdiocese says Joseph’s removal should not be considered an indication of guilt.