A Canada-wide warrant has been issued for a high-ranking priest who has ties to Windsor, after child pornography was uploaded online at a local place of worship.
The Windsor Police Service said its Internet Child Exploitation Unit was notified by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in February 2017 that child pornography had been uploaded to a social networking site, within the City of Windsor.
Following an investigation, police determined that the offences took place between December 24-27, 2016, at a place of worship in the city. Police said the content uploaded is not believed to have involved any local children.
On Thursday, a Canada-wide warrant was issued for 50-year-old priest Carlo Capella on charges of accessing child pornography, possessing child pornography and distributing child pornography.
However, according to The New York Times, Capella has been recalled by the Vatican to Italy, after American law enforcement sought to strip his immunity and potentially charge him with possession of child pornography. Prior to returning to Italy, Capella was working as a diplomat in the Holy See’s embassy in Washington D.C.
In a statement, the Vatican said that it had been notified by the U.S. State Department on August 21 of “a possible violation of laws relating to child pornography images” by a member of its diplomatic corps.
The statement goes on to say the priest will face an investigation and potential trial in Vatican City. If found guilty on child pornography charges under a 2013 law signed by Pope Francis, the individual could face up to 12 years in prison and a fine of up to 250,000 euros.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to contact Windsor police at 519-255-6700 ext. 4896, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 519-258-8477 (TIPS).
