Disgraced Priest Accused Of Molesting Kids Has Charges Forwarded

A defrocked priest accused of molesting kids was before a district judge Tuesday afternoon.

Francis “Frank” Trauger, 74, of Brooklyn, New York, had charges of indecent assault on a person less than 13 years old, indecent assault of a person less than 16 years old, and corruption of minors forwarded to Doylestown for trial by District Judge Robert Wagner. No witnesses testified during the hearing as part of a stipulation agreed to by prosecutors and Trauger.

Trauger is accused of sexually assaulting two boys, who were about 12 years old at the time, in the mid-1990s and early 2000s before mass at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church on Levittown Parkway in Tullytown Borough. He was charged in early September.

Deputy District Attorney Matt Lannetti said the charges represent the two men outlined in court papers. At the time of Trauger’s arrest, investigators said there may be more victims.

Brian McVan, Trauger’s attorney, presented Wagner with two U.S. Supreme Court cases that he said showed continuing with the prosecution of the defrocked priest violated the U.S. Constitution under the ex post facto clause. He said his statements were a “due process argument” dealing with the statute of limitations for the victims passing but being extended later by state lawmakers.

“Not quite an accurate representation of the law,” Lannetti said of McVan’s argument before the judge.

Wagner said the decision on the matter was for a Common Pleas Court judge and not a magisterial district judge.

Trauger was removed from the priesthood in 2003 and St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church was his last assignment.

A 2005 Philadelphia grand jury report listed Trauger. It stated the Levittown-area priest was accused of sexually assaulting and raping boys. The grand jury report noted that Trauger had allegations of molesting boys made against him in 1982. Testimony stated that the priest sexually assaulted the boys at a motel in the Poconos. No charges were brought at the time.

In 2012, a man testified during a trial in Philadelphia that Trauger zeroed in on him at a city church facility and locked him in a room until staff found him.

One of the victims in the Tullytown case came to the attention of Bucks County investigators through the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s investigators, authorities said.

Trauger and a male companion walked to their car following court in Bristol Township Tuesday afternoon with reporters and TV cameras trailing him. The former priest declined comment.

Mike McDonnell, who said Trauger molested him in his youth but whose case is past the statute of limitations, attended Tuesday’s hearing.

“I’m happy to see the wheels of justice moving in this case,” he said, adding his supports the prosecutors charging Trauger.

Trauger is out on unsecured bail.

Authorities have asked anyone who may have information that can help their case to contact Tullytown Sgt. Phil Kulan at 215-945-0999 ext. 225 or Bucks County Detectives Lt. David Kemmerer at 215-348-6354.