Former Priest, 81, Pleads Guilty to Sexually Abusing Boy at Baltimore School in 1970s: Suspended Three-Year Sentence, Five Years' Supervised Probation
BALTIMORE, Maryland - Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced on November 4 that Laurence LaPointe, 81, of Putnam, Connecticut, has pleaded guilty and been sentenced for sexually abusing a young boy in the mid-1970s at the Gilman School in the city of Baltimore. The investigation was led by the Maryland Office of the Attorney General.
On November 4, 2026, LaPointe pleaded guilty before Judge Charles H. Dorsey III in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City to one count of fourth-degree sex offense and one count of common-law assault. Judge Dorsey sentenced LaPointe to three years of incarceration, all suspended, and five years of supervised probation. The conditions of supervised probation include that he have no direct contact with minors under the age of 18, not volunteer or work in any educational setting involving individuals under the age of 18, have no contact with the victim, and undergo a psychosexual evaluation and follow any recommended treatment.
Facts presented in court during the plea hearing established that LaPointe, who was a Catholic priest in the Diocese of Norwich but was temporarily assigned to Gilman School during the mid-1970s, was a chaplain and religion teacher at Gilman. In approximately 1976-1977, LaPointe invited the victim, who was a middle school student attending Gilman, to LaPointe's on-campus apartment over the gymnasium to play chess. While there, LaPointe convinced the victim to play "strip chess." During the game, LaPointe fondled the victim's genitalia in LaPointe's bedroom. He told the victim that it was a special thing between the two of them and the victim should not tell anyone about it. LaPointe was in his early 30s at the time of the offense, and the victim was a middle schooler.
The victim was present in court for the guilty plea and delivered a victim impact statement. In his statement, the victim discussed the dilemma he had with disclosing the abuse and his decision to come forward, saying, "My desire for privacy could no longer outweigh my desire to see him held accountable." He also said, "I hope his admission of guilt today marks the beginning of a much larger process of honesty and accountability." The victim concluded by saying, "Today, finally, after nearly fifty years, the heavy burden of his actions and the lasting harm he has caused, passes from me to its rightful place. From this day forward, it is Laurence LaPointe's obligation to bear the weight of what he did to an innocent child."
Judge Dorsey expressed empathy for the victim and all victims of sexual assault, telling the victim that he hoped that, now that the victim had delivered his statement, the memories would "no longer hold you in bondage."
"Those who were sexually assaulted as children continue to carry the burden of that trauma long after they reach adulthood," said Attorney General Brown. "No matter how much time passes, we will help lift that weight off survivors' shoulders and hold accountable anyone who abuses a position of trust to inflict such devastating harm on our children."
In making the announcement, Attorney General Brown thanked Criminal Division Chief Katie Dorian, Organized Crime Unit Chief Paul Halliday, and Assistant Attorneys General Ashley Pamer and Jennifer Matteson, who prosecuted the case. He also thanked Senior Investigator Richard Wolf and former Analyst Kayla Kress for their work on the investigation, and especially thanked the civilian witnesses and the victim for their cooperation.
Source: Maryland Office of the Attorney General
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：巴尔的摩市巡回法院所在的 Clarence M. Mitchell Jr. 法院大楼。Smash the Iron Cage 摄，CC BY-SA 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: The Clarence M. Mitchell Jr. Courthouse in Baltimore, home to the Circuit Court for Baltimore City. By Smash the Iron Cage, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
