Sentencing postponed for PA priest who allegedly tried to lure teen to Nassau motel

A former Pennsylvania priest, who admitted that he tried to lure a teen to a Nassau motel, was not sentenced Wednesday due to a recent state Appellate Court ruling. According to police, 72-year-old Thomas

News 12 Staff

Aug 23, 2006, 10:17 PM

Updated 6,699 days ago

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A former Pennsylvania priest, who admitted that he tried to lure a teen to a Nassau motel, was not sentenced Wednesday due to a recent state Appellate Court ruling. According to police, 72-year-old Thomas Bender started chatting with the 14-year-old, who was actually an undercover detective, in September of 2004. A year later the conversations turned sexual. In July, Bender pleaded guilty to disseminating indecent material to a minor online and was set to be sentenced. His attorney, however, cited the ruling that says predators have to send sexually explicit pictures, not just text, in order to be found guilty. The attorney asked for a postponement. The prosecution plans to go over all material Bender sent to the undercover officer. Meanwhile, the district attorney has until September 15 to fight the motion and make the charges stick.