Clarks lawyer Bradley Phillips said it was rightful not to pursue obscenity charges because the priest and his lovers were having consensual sex in a private place. NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - The St. Tammany Parish District Attorney's Office has charged a former priest and two women with vandalizing a Pearl River Church last Fall. Legal Statement. Clark had faced a count of felony institutional vandalism, but it was dropped as part of the plea agreement. Copyright 2021 WVUE. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. All rights reserved. Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Nov 22, 2022 / 15:40 pm. "The Court extensively questioned the defendant to ensure that he had in fact read the plea agreement and understood it," the motion said. Travis Clark, 39, a former Catholic priest in Louisiana, pleaded guilty on Monday to an obscenity charge after he was caught having a threesomeon the altar of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in 2020, The altar of Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church during a regularly scheduled Mass. In addition, "stage lights were set up, and they were using a cellphone and camera, both mounted on a tripod" to record themselves, according to WWLTV. Millions of men out of work and lonely. Travis Jhon Clark, 37, then-pastor of Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church was arrested, as well as two out of state women: Mindy Lynn Dixon, 41, of Kent, Washington and Melissa Kamon Cheng, 28, of Alpharetta, Georgia. FLASHBACK: LOUISIANA PRIEST ARRESTED FOR ALLEGED THREESOME ON CHURCH ALTAR, Clark pleaded guilty to felony obscenity on Monday. Rev. 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The 39-year-old was serving as pastor at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Pearl River when a passerby noticed lights on at the church late one night in September 2020. The original obscenity charge was filed after prosecutors alleged the three were having sex in a place open to the public view.. latest news, feel-good stories, analysis and more, Coronation Street spoilers: Horrifying scenes as Aaron rapes unconscious Amy with a shocking denial ahead, Joe Biden had a cancerous lesion removed from his chest, New mum Kelly Osbourne shares first photo of baby son Sidney as he hangs out with fun uncle Jack, Mikel Arteta explains why he didnt speak to William Saliba for first week of Arsenals pre-season tour, Russias pincers are getting tighter around Bakhmut, says Wagner chief, Do not sell or share my personal information. A witness in Pearl River, northeast of New Orleans, called police on Sept. 30 after allegedly viewing Rev. The defense also said that Clarkhas been diagnosed with autism and did not knowingly enter into an agreement to waive his constitutional right to free speech. or redistributed. The three have now face one count of institutional vandalism each. Travis Clark and two dominatrices, Melissa Cheng, center, and Mindy Dixon, right, were charged with vandalism following an alleged altar threesome at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in 2020. The St. Tammany Parish Justice Center in Covington. A former priest has pleaded guilty to a charge of obscenity after he made a sex tape of him having "demonic" sex on an altar with a dominatrix duo. They were allegedly having intercourse with each other as a camera and cellphone appeared to be recording from a tripod on the altar, a local news outlet reported. Additionally, he had recently been named chaplain of Pope John Paul II High School. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. The altar that Clark and the women had sex on was subsequently removed and burned, with a new plinth since consecrated. Published: 16:26 EST, 21 November 2022 | Updated: 16:28 EST, 21 November 2022. Travis Clark was arrested on Oct. 1 for obscenity. Clark was ordained a priest in 2013 and became pastor of St. Peter and Paul last year. The altar was later replaced by the church following what the archbishop called demonic desecration. Kelly P. Cresswell Senior Vice President, Operations Survivors of Childhood Sex Abuse Direct: (504) 259-0901 www.scsaorg.org SCSA, opinion, Commentary, new orleans, Just because you dont like something, doesnt make it criminal. Clarks defense attorney, Michael Kennedy, reportedly told the newspaper that active probation serves very little purpose for his client, who almost certainly will not be repeating similar conduct in the future. 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This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Court documents show police arrested him and two other women: Mindy Dixon and Melissa Cheng. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, located at 66192 St Mary Dr. in Pearl River, La. What upsets me is, why did he have to do that there?," she told WWLTV. According to a press release from the Washington and St. Tammany Parishes District Attorneys Office, the sentence range for Clarks crime was between six months to three years behind bars. Travis Clark, 37, was a pastor at Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church when he allegedly had sex with two women, identified as Mindy Dixon, 41, and Melissa Cheng, 28, on the churchs altar. Clark, dressed in a dark suit, appeared before District Judge Ellen Creel to enter his plea, accompanied by his attorney Kevin McNary. The Archdiocese of New Orleans released a statement saying. Fr. One witness said they saw the priest stripped down on the alter. NEW ORLEANS, La. Mindy Dixon, 43, (left) and Melissa Cheng, 25, (right), along with Clark, were initially charged with obscenity following the alleged threesome at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Pearl river, September 2020, A passerby noticed the lights in the Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church (pictured). Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Oh - how these liberal minds work! woman accused of using aunts debit card for 136 DoorDash orders held on preset $18 million bond, Juvenile injured after homemade pipe bomb detonated, police say. He was ordained in 2013 and had been working at the church since 2019. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. I am infuriated by his actions. An attorney representing them said they were out of town and requested the court set a new arraignment date. Travis Clark went . The now former Rev. When the three were arrested, they were booked with obscenity. Clark was removed from the church after his arrest. "Im upset for all of us, the parishioners of the church. As for Clarks future in the courtroom, Fox 8 legal analyst, Joe Raspanti says its a pretty straightforward case, especially if supposed video evidence is brought to a St. Tammany jury. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. (WVUE) - Archbishop Gregory Aymond released a video statement reacting to the arrest of former priest Travis Clark. "Instead, after waiting nearly six months, the state has decided to move forward with a lesser charge of 'institutionalized vandalism.' I believe the only way this church and the city is going to survive is get someone from the outside to come in and start from the beginning and when that does happen SNAP will be there to support whatever archbishop is replaced, Bourgeois said. My clients look forward to their day in court as we continue to fight this baseless allegation.. Father Travis Clark, 37, and the two women he was caught with making a pornographic video, each faces up to two years imprisonment if found guilty. She executed antique engine buff friend to forge a will and inherit his house. Travis Clark, 39, entered the plea as part of an agreement with prosecutors on Monday. In a statement last week, Archbishop Gregory Aymond said the Archdiocese is cooperating with law enforcement and will petition the Vatican for the laicization of both Travis and Patrick Wattigny, another former north shore priest who was indicted last week on a count of molestation of a juvenile. But District Attorney Warren Montgomery filed a motion this month asking the court to revoke Clark's probation and send him to jail for the full term for an alleged violation of his plea agreement. Investigators reportedly determined that the sexual activity between the three adults was entirely consensual, but they took the trio into custody on obscenity charges because the acts took place in view of the public. About a week after the crime in 2020, the Archbishop of New Orleans consecrated a new altar at the church after its predecessor was burned following Clark's 'demonic' behavior. [emailprotected]. A former priest plead guilty to an obscenity charge after he was filmed having a threesome with two dominatrices on the altar of a Louisiana church. [Images St. Tammany Parish Sheriffs Office], Have a tip we should know? The altar was replaced by the church. As a catholic priest who did it on the altar, what other judgment lack of judgment does he have. The two insist that they were innocent because all parties were adults and the incident took place behind closed doors on private property. Archbishop of New Orleans Gregory Aymond told WWL-TV that Clarks acts were deplorable., His desecration of the altar in Church was demonic, he said. The comments below have not been moderated. Once again, they have overstepped their bounds as this nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to regulate the morality of private individuals. He has lost control of his priests. Reverend Travis Clark, 37, worked as a priest at Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church in Pearl River, Louisiana. Do not sell or share my personal information. If convicted, they could be sentenced to up to two years in prison, with or without hard labor, and a fine of not more than $1,000 or both, according to the DA's office. Town council member Kat Walsh was angry that Clark chose the church to engage in the acts. A witness in Pearl River, northeast of New Orleans, called police on Sept. 30 after allegedly viewing Rev. Travis Clark is pictured in his mugshot. A 39-year-old defrocked Catholic priest in Louisiana was spared time behind bars after formally pleading guilty to one count of felony obscenity for making a sex tape with two dominatrices on the altar of his former church in 2020. Clark was ordained a priest in 2013. Sts. The archdiocese told CNA that the priest had "never before been the subject of any sexual misconduct claims." A former Catholic priest caught engaging in a sex romp with a pair of dominatrices on a church altar in 2020 has pleaded guilty to felony obscenity charges. Travis Clark, 37; Mindy Dixon, 41; and Melissa Cheng, 23, for obscene acts. Former NFL star gets jail time after horror video showed ex being attacked. Obscenity charges against a former priest and two professional dominatrices have been dropped, . They are accused of knowingly vandalizing, defacing, or otherwise damaging property and causing damage valued at over $500 and under $50,000, at the church, according to the district attorneys office. Travis John Clark, 39, was accused of engaging in lewd sexual acts . Travis Clark and two dominatrices, Melissa Cheng, center, and Mindy Dixon, right, were charged with vandalism following an alleged altar threesome at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in 2020. It's unclear if the video was ever released, but Clark is set to appear back in court on January 20 to ensure the trio will never gain profit from the act, according to NOLA.com. Travis Clark got a three-year suspended prison sentence for engaging in the unholy trinity, along with three years of supervised probation and a $1,000 fine, reported the Advocate. Dixon and Cheng told police at the time of the arrest that they were role-playing and recording the consensual acts. Constance Marten seen leaving court after appearing before magistrates charged with manslaughter of baby, Constance Marten and Mark Gordon blow each other a kiss in dock before court hears dead baby was found in bag in shed, Mum identified after dead baby is found on Canford Heath, filming himself having sex with two dominatrices, Mindy Dixon, 41, and Melissa Cheng, 23, allegedly having sex with Clark, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). (TCD) -- A 39-year-old former priest recently pleaded guilty to felony obscenity after engaging in a threesome with two dominatrices on a church altar in 2020. Clark, who was a pastor of Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church . PHOTO BY DAVID GRUNFELD DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY, Convicted of obscenity, former St. Tammany priest jailed after giving TV interview, The priest was jailed for contempt of court. How long have Keir Starmer and Sue Gray been secretly cooking up their plot? Clark had seemingly escaped jail time for the three-way in 2020 that a passerby saw through the window at Sts. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. He is a graduate of Georgetown University and New York Law School and previously worked in financial securities compliance and Civil Rights employment law. The church's former leader, 37-year-old Travis Clark was arrested Oct. 1 on an obscenity charge after reportedly being caught having sex with two women inside the church Sept. 30. Other questions:subscriberservices@theadvocate.com. Police alleged the obscene acts "occurred on the altar, which is clearly visible from the street," according to court records obtained by the outlet. Beginning Monday morning at 9:00 A.M. is the trial of the former priest who was caught making a pornographic video on the altar. Advertisement Clark had been the pastor of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church Catholic in. He received a suspended three-year sentence and will serve three years of supervised probation, FOX8 New Orleans reported. Jerry Lambe is a journalist at Law&Crime. Though Aymond says Clark was removed from ministry, his name still appears on the churchs billboard. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Now her new home is prison. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. 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"The defendant made a brief appearance on a television where he apologized and asked for forgiveness," the filing said. Stripped of his holy vestments and slobbing around barefoot in his pajamas, this is the shamed Louisiana priest caught romping on his church altar with two dominatrices.. Rev. Clark was removed from his post with the churchone day after his arrest. Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. Peter and Paul Catholic Church. The only way we can know is if an investigator comes in and goes through his archives, Bourgeois said. Travis Clark, 39, appeared at the Covington courthouse on Monday in front of Judge Ellen Creel and pleaded guilty. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! A Catholic priest who was caught having sex with two dominatrices on the altar of his Louisiana church has pleaded guilty to felony obscenity, according to local reports. Clark was arrested after filming himself having sex with two dominatrices inside the church on September 30. A Catholic priest caught having a threesome with two porn stars on his church altar will not be charged with obscenity. Each one could face up to three years in prison if convicted. His desecration of the altar in church was demonic. Dixon and Cheng told police at the time of the arrest that they were role-playing and recording the consensual acts. French family sues Airbnb after 19-month-old daughter dies from fentanyl overdose while taking a nap at Miami rental - after previous tenants held cocaine-fueled party, Walgreens says it will NOT sell abortion pills in 20 Republican-controlled states - even where it is still legal. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Clark was pastor of Sts. Our prayers remain with all those who were hurt by the actions of these two men, and in a particular way, we offer our prayers for healing of survivors of abuse.. The two women, Mindy Dixon and Melissa Cheng, were later identified as dominatrices; Dixon had reportedly written on social media shortly before the encounter that she and another dominatrix were on their way to defile a house of God. They each pleaded guilty in July to a misdemeanor count of institutional vandalism and got two years of supervised probation. "Autism is a cognitive disability that inhibited Defendant Clark's understanding of the terms of the plea agreement," the filing said, adding that Clark never received a copy of the agreement. PHOTO PROVIDED BY ST. TAMMANY PARISH SHERIFF'S OFFICE, Former priest accused of altar sex in Pearl River church pleads not guilty to vandalism, Priest recorded having group sex on altar of Pearl River church, police say; 3 arrested, Obscenity charge filed against former priest, dominatrices for alleged Pearl River altar tryst. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. The two were sentenced to two years of probation. As Alex is jailed for horrific executions of his wife and son rumors abound in the sleepy South Carolina town of Walterboro - and locals say 'most people don't believe he is the killer', Woman, 31, who had sex with 13-year-old boy and then became pregnant with his child will serve NO jail time in plea deal, 'Are y'all OK in LA?!' (St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office). Both women told officers who arrived at the scene that they were filming 'roleplay' with Clark. The trio appeared to be filming themselves. (Google Maps). Click Here to report it. Travis Clark, 37, instead faces a charge of felony vandalism over the. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us atwebnews@metro.co.uk, For more stories like this,check our news page, Get your need-to-know We acknowledge the charges filed against Travis Clark and Patrick Wattigny by the St. Tammany District Attorneys Office. RELATED: Mixed reaction after new altar consecrated following pastors obscenity charges with dominatrices. Former priest, two women formally charged for having sex in Pearl River church, La. Travis John Clark, 39, pled guilty Monday in connection with the incident at a church last fall. The case against Clark was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Authement. SNAP leader, Kevin Bourgeois says with such a cluster of sexual abuse and obscenity in the ranks of the priesthood, he fears for other possible sexual abuse, and the lack of judgment he says starts at the top. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, A disgraced former Louisiana priest has admitted to engaging in sexual acts with two dominatrices on his church's altar after a passerby reported the lurid incident. Clark was busted in an unholy trinity with Mindy Dixon and Melissa Cheng on September 30, 2020. There was a problem saving your notification. 22nd Judicial District Judge Ellen Creel gave Clark a three-year suspended sentence with supervised probation. Judge Ellen Creelof the 22nd Judicial District on Monday sentenced Travis Jhon Clark to a three-year suspended prison sentence and three years of probation, prosecutors announced Monday. Harry's chat with guru who compared Hamas terrorists to Jews who battled the Nazis has appalled Rabbis: What DOES Duke know about man who defended anti-Semites, called for ALL drugs to be legal and who will want intimate detail of his upbringing? "Once again, they have overstepped their bounds as this nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to regulate the morality of private individuals. Clark was axed from his job by the Archdiocese of New Orleans after the scandal emerged, and has yet to comment on the threesome. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. countries. Clark was caught having sex on the alter with two women, Cheng and Dixon (pictured in their mugshots) were also arrested and sentenced to two years of probation. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, The threesome allegedly engaged in intercourse inside Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church where the Reverend worked, Credit: Sts. Reverend Travis Clark, 37, worked as a priest at Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church in Pearl River, Louisiana. Dixon reportedly goes by the professional names Satanatrix or Lady Vi, while Cheng is known professionally as Mistress Ming.The church reportedly burned the altar upon which Clark and the women had sex. All rights reserved. Have a tip or story idea? Why there?, News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. Market data provided by Factset. Travis Clark, 37, instead faces a charge of felony vandalism over the September 2020 incident at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in New Orleans. While the three wereoriginally charged with obscenity countslast fall, on Friday the St. Tammany Parish District Attorneys Office announced those charges had been reduced. The internet is left in uproar after shopper reveals she spent a whopping $50 on a GROCERY BAG from pricey celebrity-loved food store Erewhon, Sun goes down on the Murdaugh dynasty: As Alex is jailed, surviving son Buster is left with modest apartment, $530k inheritance, a law career in tatters after plagiarism incident - and could now face probe over gay teen's death. A priest of the Archdiocese of New Orleans arrested last year along with two women after filming a pornographic video on a parish church altar has been charged with vandalism. SNAP calls for Vatican investigation after alleged orgy on church altar, La. (St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office). Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. The fine Clark is responsible for paying comes in addition to the restitution he already paid to the church. Fox News Flash top headlines for November 22. A personwas walking by Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church in Pearl River on Sept. 30 when they allegedly saw a half-clothed priest through the church's windows engaging in a threesome with two corset-clad dominatrices on top of the altar, Nola.com reported last year. A preliminary hearing is set for May 18, and his trial date is May 24. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group, Kellyanne Conway and husband George SPLIT after 22 years following admission in her 2022 memoir that her husband's criticism of Trump was a betrayal, Where IS Gavin? The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests is closely tallying the number of deviant priests and their actions. Travis John Clark, 37, then pastor of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Mindy Lynn Dixon, 41 . The witnesses reportedly told authorities that they saw a nearly naked Clark having sexual intercourse with the two women, both of whom were dressed in leather corsets. After glimpsing inside, the witness saw Clark, partly naked, in the middle of a threesome on the church altar with two women in corsets. The two other defendants in the case, Mindy Dixon and Melissa Cheng, each pleaded guilty in July to a single count of misdemeanor institutional vandalism. We are proceeding to the Vatican to petition for their laicization presenting information from both the criminal and canonical investigations. (WVUE) - Archbishop Gregory Aymond released a video statement reacting to the arrest of former priest Travis Clark. Play it now! Clark and the women both dominatrixes who were wearing corsets and high heels were caught after a passer-by strolled past the church, noticed a light was on inside, and looked through a window, only to be confronted with the trio having sex. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Priest, Dominatrices Have Charges Reduced For Altar Sex, A former Louisiana priest and two dominatrices have been charged with vandalism for.