CLEVELAND — A judge issued a $50,000 bond for a Strongsville area priest who was arrested on child pornography charges last week.
Rev. Bob McWilliams was arrested outside St. Joseph Catholic Church on Pearl Road last Thursday. He made his first court appearance Monday.
McWilliams, 39, was booked into the Cuyahoga County Jail on a charge of pandering obscenities. Additional charges could be brought after a county grand jury reviews the evidence.
Authorities say McWilliams' computer, cell phone and iPad were seized as part of the investigation. Prosecutors on Monday said McWilliams is accused of possessing, receiving and sending child pornography.
The investigation started with allegations the priest had sent an inappropriate text to a teenager at St. Helen’s Church in Newbury, where McWilliams worked with the church’s youth program.
A search warrant was first obtained by Geauga County prosecutors and sheriff’s deputies. County Prosecutor James Flaiz would not comment or provide details of the ongoing investigation.
That investigation eventually grew to involve ICAC agents and Strongsville police. The search took place unannounced on Thursday.
A source told 3News that a substantial amount of child pornographic images were found and connected to the priest during the search at the St. Joseph church rectory, where the priest lived and worked as a parochial vicar.
McWilliams was ordained as a priest in 2017.