DUBLIN, California — A Catholic priest who pleaded no contest to sexually assaulting a Northern California teenager for more than a year has been sentenced to nearly five years in prison.
KPIX-TV reports that Father David Mendoza-Vela, was sentenced Friday.
Prosecutors say Mendoza-Vela began molesting the boy in June 2016 when the victim was 14.
The 42-year-old priest was originally charged with 30 counts of lewd acts on a child. Twenty-five counts were dismissed as part of a plea deal.
Mendoza-Vela, who has since apologized to the boy, must register as a sex offender and stay away from his victim for at least 10 years.
Ordained in 2013, he was most recently assigned to the ministry at Fremont’s Corpus Christi Catholic Church.
He was placed on administrative leave after his March arrest.
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