SANTA FE, N.M.- A former Catholic priest who was accused of sexually abusing an alter boy has been found guilty on all seven federal child abuse charges.
He faced six counts on aggravated sexual assault and one count was on criminal sexual contact of a minor.
The jurors began deliberating in the trial for Athur Perrault Wednesday morning and returned the verdict by 1 p.m.
Prosecutors in closing arguments described Perrault as a "serial molester," while his defense questioned whether the case was built on "false memories."
Once the pastor of one of New Mexico's largest Catholic parishes, Perrault vanished from the state in 1992 as an attorney prepared to file two lawsuits against the Archdiocese of Santa Fe alleging he had sexually assaulted seven children.
The 81-year-old Perrault was returned by authorities to the United States from Morocco in September.
