Former New Orleans Priest Pleads Guilty to Rape and Kidnapping of Teen in 1970s

Lawrence Hecker, 93, admitted to multiple charges just before his trial and faces a mandatory life sentence for decades-old crimes.

Lawrence Hecker, a 93-year-old retired Catholic priest, pleaded guilty to raping and kidnapping a teenage boy in 1975, moments before his trial was set to begin.
Hecker admitted to aggravated rape, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated crime against nature, and theft, with sentencing scheduled for December 18, where he faces life imprisonment.
The victim, who was 16 at the time, reported being choked unconscious and assaulted by Hecker in a church bell tower, but his claims were dismissed by school officials who instead sent him to psychological treatment.
Hecker had previously confessed in writing in 1999 to molesting multiple underage boys during his ministry, but the New Orleans Archdiocese allowed him to continue working until his retirement in 2002.
The case has renewed scrutiny of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, which faces over 600 abuse claims and allegations of covering up decades of clergy sexual abuse, leading to its 2020 bankruptcy filing.