HAMILTON COUNTY — A suspended Indianapolis Catholic priest has pleaded guilty to a felony charge stemming from allegations he sexually abused a teenage boy about six years ago.
Suspended Catholic priest David Marcotte pleaded guilty to one count of dissemination of matter harmful to minors under terms of the plea agreement accepted and filed Oct. 12 by Hamilton Superior Court Judge Jonathan M. Brown.
Marcotte faces up to a year of home detention, but avoids prison and doesn't have to register as a sex offender, under the plea deal. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Nov. 9.
Under terms of the agreement, prosecutors and defense lawyers can argue over how long Marcotte will serve on home detention, but the sentence can be no more than one year.
Additionally, Marcotte, 35, will serve two-and-a-half years on probation and a two-and-a-half year suspended prison sentence.
In exchange, Hamilton County Prosecutor D. Lee Buckingham II's office agreed to dismiss charges of child solicitation and vicarious sexual gratification.
In April, Hamilton Superior Judge Michael Casati rejected a similar plea agreement. Casati recused himself and Marcotte's case was assigned to Judge Brown's court in May, records show.
According to court records, Marcotte was working at St. Malachy Church and School in Brownsburg in 2016 and 2017 when he allegedly sent inappropriate images to a then-15-year-old boy. Marcotte, according to court records, also engaged in sexual conduct with the boy via social media platforms.
Marcotte was ordained in 2014. The Archdiocese of Indianapolis suspended Marcotte on Feb. 12, 2019, just six days after it said it had learned of the allegations.
In addition to St. Malachy, the archdiocese said Marcotte had served at St. Martin of Tours Parish in Martinsville; the University of Indianapolis; Roncalli High School in Indianapolis; and at SS Francis and Clare Parish in Greenwood.
The victim, now 20, and his family filed a civil suit against Marcotte, St. Malachy and the Archdiocese of Indianapolis in Hamilton Circuit Court in February 2020, records show.
More: Judge rejects plea deal for suspended Indianapolis priest in minor sex abuse case | Suspended Indianapolis priest pleads guilty in minor sex abuse case
Contact WRTV reporter Vic Ryckaert at victor.ryckaert@wrtv.com or on Twitter: @vicryc.
