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Fernando Cristancho, 65, of Bel Air, was a priest in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, worked as a priest in Baltimore County and at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Harford County from 1999 to 2002.
During his time at St. Ignatius, Cristancho became involved with three victims, ages 11-13, all whose families were members of the congregation. He started getting spending time with the victims outside of church mostly at meals at restaurants or at their homes. One victim even became a lector at the church under Cristancho’s supervision, the office reports.
Cristancho eventually started acting as if he was in a “romantic relationship” with the youngest victim, the office reports. He would often ask for back rubs, offer the victim alcohol, took him to dinner, kissed him and even said he loved him. Cristancho also showed the victim pornographic images and suggested they perform the same acts.
When Cristancho was no longer allowed to work at the church, he started hosting religious services in a parishioner’s home with the same victim performing as a lecturer or altar server.
After going on a family camping trip with the victim in the summer of 2002, Cristancho arranged to have the victim help around his house including with his infant children. The victim eventually started spending every weekend at Cristancho’s house where was sexually abused. This lasted into the Fall of 2003, according to the office.
In September 2017, an employee at a retail pharmacy caught Cristancho printing multiple pictures of naked children, including one of a young boy who was bitten on the buttocks. The employee reported the incident and an investigation into Cristancho was launched.
Investigators later found nude photos and videos of four other minor victims on Cristancho’s smartphone. Most of the images were taken when the victims were less than five years old.
Upon release from prison, Cristancho must register as a sex offender where he works and where he is a student.
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