Catholic Priest Sentenced for Molesting 11 Year Old Girl
By Tom Jackman
A Catholic priest who
pleaded guilty to inappropriately touching an 11-year-old
Felix Owino,
45, was arrested in July after visiting a family in
Herndon and watching a movie with them. The girl complained that Owino touched her over her clothes.
In September, he pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual battery. (That
would be a lot more than touching)
Owino,
a native of Kenya, is a member of the Apostles of Jesus missionary
congregation, an African congregation of priests and brothers. He had been serving as a philosophy
instructor at
His lawyer, Joshua Wilson, said Owino
had repeated struggles with alcohol since his ordination in the 1990s and had
been forced out of several academic posts because of his drinking.
Owino did not exactly apologize when given the
opportunity to speak by Fairfax Circuit Court Judge Michael F. Devine, but
instead prayed aloud for several minutes, saying, "Father, I have sinned
against heaven, treat me like you do your highest servant. ... Rescue me, God,
my helper."
Having already been in jail
for seven months, Owino does not have much more time
to serve in