Virgil Maxey Wheeler III, the deacon at St. Francis Xavier Church in Old Metairie who pleaded guilty last year to sexually abusing a boy, died today reports to NOLA.com.
Wheeler was on probation after pleading guilty in December to six counts of indecent behavior with a juvenile.
The victim said Wheeler groomed him with gifts and sleepovers that eventually led to Wheeler performing sex acts on him and showering with him. The abuse happened from 2000 to 2002, when the victim was about 11 to 13 years old.
The victim came forward with his allegations in 2020 and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office arrested Wheeler in 2021.
