Fred Lenczycki - Baby raping priest released from civil commitment

He had admitted molesting 31 boys, ages 9 to 17, while serving in six churches during a 25-year span until 1999, when he took a forced retirement.


Convicted pedophile priest Fred Lenczycki was set free today in DuPage County, but will continue his sex offender treatment as an outpatient.

Lenczycki, 65, was released about 10:30 a.m. into the custody of his treatment supervisor. His treatment plan is sealed from public inspection, but he is expected to live at an undisclosed Cook County location.

DuPage Circuit Judge Bonnie Wheaton gave him a stern warning that his life will remain under a microscope and that he'll face severe consequences should he not comply with his strict treatment plan.

Lenczycki was due to be paroled 3.5 years ago after serving part of a five-year prison term for inappropriately touching three boys at a Hinsdale church. But a month before his release date, prosecutors filed paperwork to have him civilly committed beyond his prison term as a sexually violent person.

In March 2008, a DuPage County jury agreed. Lenczycki became the first Roman Catholic priest in the nation to be civilly committed. He had remained in a state treatment facility in Rushville until today.

On July 9, Wheaton ruled he could be released under a strict plan that includes dozens of conditions, such as electronic monitoring, weekly counseling, polygraph tests and sex offender registration, to name a few.

He's expected to register with police today.

Lenczycki was ordained a priest in the Joliet Diocese in 1972.

He had admitted molesting 31 boys, ages 9 to 17, while serving in six churches during a 25-year span until 1999, when he took a forced retirement.

The first few crimes involved three boys at Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Naperville until 1975. At his next assignment in Romeoville, two other accusers said they were molested. Lenczycki later inappropriately touched as many as 14 boys at St. Isaac Jogues Catholic Church in Hinsdale. Other victims followed after he moved to California and Missouri.

Lenczycki technically still is a priest and receives a pension, because the Vatican did not defrock him, but he cannot preside over Mass or perform any other official duties.

"25% of all sex offenders re-offend within 15 years"
.........Sarah Tofte