PHOENIX (AP) - Authorities say a former Phoenix-area priest who was indicted on sexual abuse charges earlier this year has died before his trial.
Officials with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix say John “Jack” Spaulding died Tuesday.
Court documents show the 74-year-old Spaulding had pancreatic cancer that had spread to other organs.
Spaulding was indicted in January on six felony counts of sexual misconduct with a minor and one felony count of molestation of a child.
He was accused of sexually abusing two boys under the age of 15 between 2003 and 2007. During that time span, Spaulding was a priest at St. Gabriel’s Catholic Church in Phoenix and St. Timothy’s in Mesa.
The former priest was scheduled to be arraigned next month.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office said Wednesday that it will ask the court to dismiss the charges, which is a standard practice when a suspect dies.
Spaulding was removed from the ministry in 2011 due to “credible allegations of sexual misconduct with minors,” according to the diocese.
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