"Court records generated by Ford's arrest allege that he positioned himself as a mentor to the victim in the case while the boy grieved two family deaths. Ford then allegedly exploited that proximity to abuse the boy, whom he met through a church program for youth who are disabled. The name of that program was God's Special Children, and it was co-founded by Ford. As police tell it in a"
"sworn statement filed in court, the boy was mourning his grandmother's and father's deaths when Ford who was a Catholic priest from 1992 to 2007 grew close to him, visited him at home to play video games with him and gave him guitar lessons. Then, police alleged, Ford began showing pornography to the boy, who is on the autism spectrum and has a deg"
Mark Francis Ford, 64, has been indicted on nine counts including aggravated rape of a child, rape of a person with a physical disability, multiple counts of molestation, indecent behavior with a minor and kidnapping. Authorities allege the offenses occurred between 2006 and 2008 and involved a boy aged 12 to 14 who is on the autism spectrum. Ford was arrested nearly five months earlier and jailed without bail; formal charges were filed by New Orleans district attorney Jason Williams. Court records allege Ford positioned himself as a mentor while the boy grieved family deaths, exploited that proximity, met the boy through God's Special Children (a program Ford co-founded), visited him at home, played video games, gave guitar lessons, and showed pornography. If convicted on the indicted counts, Ford faces mandatory life imprisonment.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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