Patrick Colleary

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Patrick Colleary is an Irish Roman Catholic priest accused of molesting a person under the age of 15 while a priest at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Tempe, Arizona.

He was suspended in May 2002 after he admitted fathering a child with a woman named Sharon Roy in 1978. She claimed the encounter was non-consensual. However, in a [https://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/1997/11/reed.html 1997 article], Ms. Roy spoke of a consensual physical relationship with Colleary. In 2002 Colleary was jailed for a month after being accused of molesting a young man, but charges were dismissed under the statute of limitations. {{citation needed|date=July 2009}}

Colleary was indicted on a separate charge of molestation and another warrant was issued for his arrest in 2003. {{citation needed|date=July 2009}} Colleary is currently living in Ireland, and has fought extradition back to Arizona, primarily the basis of the controversy surrounding Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio. He has denied all charges.[http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/41088 East Valley Tribune report on Colleary] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090802082302/http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/41088 |date=2009-08-02 }}

[http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/2003-06-05/news/judgment-day/ Phoenix news report on Colleary controversy]