FOX Sports Radio WAusu, Wisconsin
MILWAUKEE, WI (WSAU) A 75-year-old man is facing three charges of first-degree child sexual assault for incidents involving a girl under the age of 13. Prosecutors accuse Robert Marsicek of assaulting a now-15-year-old girl when he was a priest at St. Pius X Grade School in Wauwatosa.
The victim reported the incidents to police in December, saying it started when she was in first grade and continued through fourth grade. The accusations date back to 2007.
The Society of the Divine Savior Salvatorians issued a statement after the charges were filed, noting Marsicek was “fully restricted from public ministry” in 2013 after previous allegations were made against him, but no charges were filed at that time. The statement goes on to say, “Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our children and families. We have zero tolerance for child sexual abuse or abuse of any kind.”
He is now free on $50,000 bond, and has been ordered not to have any contact with children while his case is pending. He could face up to 60-years in prison if convicted.
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Man who used to be priest at Wauwatosa school accused of inappropriate contact with young girl
FOX 6 Now
MILWAUKEE — A long-time priest could now face a long prison sentence. He’s accused of molesting a young girl over the course of several years. 75-year-old Robert Marsicek of Milwaukee is charged with three counts of first-degree child sexual assault – contact with a child under age 13. This, in connection with events that allegedly took place at St. Pius X Grade School in Wauwatosa. The alleged molestation took place from 2007 through 2010.
In December 2016, a 15-year-old girl went to Wauwatosa police to discuss allegations that she was sexually assaulted by Marsicek, also known as Father Bob.
According to the criminal complaint, the alleged victim told police Marsicek was the priest at the school. She said starting in first grade, Marsicek would “hug her” and often touch her in inappropriate ways. The complaint indicates these incidents happened from first through fourth grade.
On January 10th, the complaint indicates “Father Bob was questioned” by a detective about the incidents in the complaint. Marsicek recalled interacting with the student — but was not specific about any instance in particular.
The complaint says Marsicek “was asked if he was aroused by boys and small girls and he stated ‘certainly I’m aroused — just the cuteness and beauty of them.’ When asked if he was attracted in a sexual manner, he replied not to the point that he would not want to have sex with them ‘but in a sexual manner in so far as your groin…begins to be the dictator.'”
Robert Marsicek
If convicted on any of the charges against him, Marsicek faces up to 60 years in prison.
He made his initial appearance in court in this case on Thursday, February 23rd. In court, he said he didn’t know much about the serious charges against him.
“It was brought out to me before and I knew nothing about it until I was told about it,” Marsicek said.
“He was already, for six months, under investigation for child sex assault in California, with credible allegations. They kept him in that pulpit for six months. The only reason he got removed from that pulpit was because it became public. That’s the only reason,” Peter Isley, with SNAP — the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests said.
Peter Isley
Isley said SNAP is aware of accusations against Marsicek in multiple states, dating back to the 1970s, including allegations from California that were mentioned in the complaint.
Jerry Topczewski, spokesman for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee released the following statement on this case:
“Fr. Marsicek belongs to a religious order. The Salvatorians. He was never a diocesan priest or under the direction of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. He served at an area parish. However, he was fully restricted from any ministry in 2013.
Most importantly for people to know is that no priest, whether a diocesan priest or religious order priest, who has a substantiated allegation of sexual abuse of a minor can serve in any public ministry in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.”
The Society of the Divine Savior Salvatorians issued the following statement in the wake of the charges being filed in this case:
“We were officially informed that Fr. Bob Marsicek was charged by the Milwaukee District Attorney with first degree sexual assault of a child, from a 2007 allegation.
Nothing is more important to us than the safety and well-being of our children and families. If there is any indication that abuse may have occurred, it is always thoroughly investigated. We have zero tolerance for child sexual abuse, and abuse of any kind.
Fr. Marsicek is a member of the Society of the Divine Savior, a religious order. The Society of the Divine Savior and the Archdiocese of Milwaukee will continue to cooperate fully with civil authorities.
In 2013, Fr. Marsicek was immediately and fully restricted from public ministry after an allegation was made and was investigated by civil authorities, but did not result in charges. Since 2013, Fr. Marsicek has been on a safety plan and under strict supervision. Prior to today, no charges had been filed against Fr. Marsicek.
If you have additional information or would like to report an incident, please contact Detective James Donovan of the Wauwatosa Police Department at 414-471-8430.
For assistance on how you can speak with your child about this matter, please visit our website at http://salvatorians.com/ParentAid.pdf
We ask for your prayers for all who are involved.”
Very Rev. Joseph Rodrigues SDS
US Provincial, Society of the Divine Savior
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A former St. Pius priest, the Rev. Robert Marsicek, 75, has been charged with three counts of first-degree sexual assault of a child under the age of 13.
Each charge carries a maximum penalty of 60 years in prison.
A criminal complaint filed by the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s office said on Dec. 2, Wauwatosa Police Detective James Donovan met with a now 15-year-old girl to discuss allegations that she was sexually assaulted by Marsicek when she was in the first through fourth grades at St. Pius X Grade School, 2520 Wauwatosa Ave.
The complaint details numerous contacts between the man known as “Father Bob” and the girl, saying that Marsicek touched her vagina and squeezed her buttocks on numerous occasions and often had the girl sit on his lap.
The Wauwatosa Police Department declined to comment on the case.
Marsicek was charged Wednesday and released on a $50,000 personal recognizance bond and ordered to have no contact with the victim or anyone under the age of 18. He made his initial appearance in Milwaukee County Circuit Court Thursday.
According to a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel report from April 2013, Marsicek had been removed from his position at St. Pius in 2013 after alleged inappropriate contact with children was reported by a teacher at the school.
The 2013 report said Marsicek was also under investigation in Sacramento, California, and had been counseled by the Archdiocese of Milwaukee about boundary issues and was told to stop hugging and touching children.
The complaint lists Marsicek’s address as 1735 Hi Mount Blvd. in Milwaukee, which is also the address of The Society of the Divine Savior. The Society is a Catholic religious c
“In 2013, Fr. Marsicek was immediately and fully restricted from public ministry after an allegation was made and was investigated by civil authorities, but did not result in charges,” a statement from the Salvatorians said. “Since 2013, Fr. Marsicek has been on a safety plan and under strict supervision. Fr. Marsicek is a member of the Society of the Divine Savior, a religious order. The Society of the Divine Savior and the Archdiocese of Milwaukee will continue to cooperate fully with civil authorities.”
The criminal complaint said it “does not exhaust all of the information that the state has that pertains to other allegations. That the defendant (Marsicek) engaged in inappropriate conduct with children around this same time frame and extending into 2013.”
The complaint said Marsicek was questioned by Donovan on Jan. 10 and that during this questioning Marsicek said he recalled the alleged victim being “more clingy than other students” and “always wanted hugs.”
“The defendant was asked if he was aroused by boys and small girls and he stated, ‘Certainly I’m aroused, just the cuteness and beauty of them,'” the complaint said. “When asked if he was attracted in a sexual manner, he replied not to the point that he would not want to have sex with them ‘but in a sexual manner in so far as your groin… begins to be the dictator.’ He did admit to having erections while dealing with children and admitted that this did seem odd,” the complaint said.
A preliminary hearing in the case has been scheduled for March 6.