Ex-New Orleans Priest Admits Guilt in Rape and Kidnapping Case

Retired priest Lawrence Hecker, 93, pleaded guilty to charges of child rape and kidnapping in New Orleans, leading to a mandatory life sentence. The case, which highlighted a long-standing cover-up by church superiors, involved a victim who was raped by Hecker in 1975. Despite Hecker's 1999 admission of molesting multiple children, the New Orleans archdiocese allowed him to continue working until his retirement. The case has raised questions about a potential child sex-trafficking ring within the archdiocese, which is under investigation by state police.