KANSAS CITY, Kansas — A Kansas priest pleaded guilty in federal court to possessing child pornography.
U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said 46-year-old Father Christopher Rossman pleaded guilty Friday.
He was pastor at Annunciation Catholic Church in Baldwin City and St. Francis of Assisi Church in Lapeer until he was suspended.
McAllister said monitoring software installed on Rossman’s electronic devices reported he visited adult and child pornography websites.
The Archdiocese of Kansas City contacted law enforcement in September 2016 and suspended Rossman from the ministry.
He was charged last week.
When investigators sought Rossman in Baldwin City, they learned his sister had tried to run over her brother’s Galaxy tablet. A forensics examination found files depicting young females engaged in sexual activities.
“Rossman’s name appeared in the Archdiocese’s special report on clergy sexual abuse released in January of this year,” the archdiocese said in a statement Friday.
“It will now be moved to its permanent list of substantiated offenders. Additionally, the process by which the Church removes a man from the priesthood, called laicization, will begin. The Archdiocese will continue to cooperate with law enforcement as this matter moves forward,” the statement said.
Crux staff contributed to this report.
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