(WWJ) – A former Flint-area priest has been sentenced to a year in prison and five years of probation after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting a young boy more than 30 years ago.
Vincent Delorenzo, 84, pleaded guilty back in April to sexually assaulting a 5-year-old boy following a funeral service he officiated for the boy’s family member in 1987, according to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office.
In exchange for his guilty plea, two other first-degree and three second-degree criminal sexual conduct charges were dismissed.
The dismissed charges were related to the sexual assault of a child from 1995-2000, while he was a student at Holy Redeemer School and Church in Burton, Michigan, Nessel’s office said in April.
While the crime occurred more than 10 years ago, Michigan’s statute of limitations is tolled when a defendant leaves the state for any reason within the statute of limitations and resumes if and when the defendant returns to the state.
Delorenzo, who was a priest at Holy Redeemer Church in Burton, was arrested in 2019, in Marion County, Florida.
In addition to his jail time and probation, Delorenzo is also mandated to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life, is ordered to engage in sex offender counseling, and may have no contact with his victims or any minor.
Five victims of his sexual abuse gave impact statements Tuesday in court.
Delorenzo, a former priest with the Lansing Diocese, was among the first five priests charged by Nessel in late May 2019. His case is part of Nessel’s extensive clergy abuse investigation, which has led to multiple convictions.
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