An Ohio priest who allegedly posed as a woman on social media in order to entice minor male victims has been indicted on child pornography, child exploitation and juvenile sex trafficking charges, a US attorney announced.
40-year-old Robert D. McWilliams is charged with sex trafficking of a minor, sexual exploitation of children and transportation of child pornography among other charges, according to a news release from the US Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
McWilliams was arrested in December 2019 for allegedly possessing child pornography, and he was put on administrative leave by the diocese “immediately” after the diocese learned of his arrest, it said in a press release at the time.
McWilliams also threatened to send photographs to family and friends if the minor male victims did not send additional photographs and videos, the news release said. He allegedly carried through with that threat, “sending the mothers sexually explicit photographs he received from minor male victims,” according to the release.
The US Attorney’s Office alleges that some of McWilliams’ victims were young boys he knew through his work as a priest in parishes.
The Catholic Diocese of Cleveland said it “was made aware” of the indictment Thursday against the former parochial vicar in Strongsville.