Ex-Boise priest pleads guilty to child porn charges

BOISE, Idaho – A former Boise Catholic priest has pleaded guilty to child pornography charges as part of a plea deal.

News outlets report William Thomas Faucher pleaded guilty to five of the 24 charges against him, including distribution of sexually exploitative material, possession of sexually exploitative materials and drug possession.

The other charges were dismissed.

The Idaho Statesman reports Faucher, who will be 73 next month, told the court he sent an email that contained child pornography while in alcohol-induced depression and while being affected by dementia.

Prosecutors say it wasn’t one drunken mistake and that more than 2,000 photos and videos depicting child sexual abuse were found on Faucher’s computer and phone.

Faucher remains jailed on $1 million bail.

He’s scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 20.