Priest Who Had S*x with Church Member and Pays Her to Keep Quiet Exposed (Photos)

Californian priest, Jacob Bertrand

 

A San Diego priest in California has found himself in trouble after allegedly having s*x with a woman he was religiously advising. It was also discovered that he has been paying her money to keep quiet over the affair.

 

Dailymail reveals that Jacob Bertrand, 32, was charged with two counts of criminal sexual conduct in the third degree for allegedly having sex with the Minnesota woman in 2010, according to a complaint obtained by NBC Los Angeles. 

 

Bertrand, who is a priest at the Diocese of San Diego met the woman in 2009 while they were studying in Rome.  The report further reports that after they moved back to the US, Bertrand allegedly had s*x with her while she was seeking religious advice from him, NBC reported.

 

In 2009, the two flew to Minnesota, where they allegedly stayed with the woman's relatives. The complaint also claims that two sexual encounters took place on that trip, including one in her parent's basement while he was performing mass, NBC reported. 

 

He then allegedly told the woman that what happened was 'so mystical' that no one should know about it. Shortly after that encounter, Bertrand wrote a letter to the woman apologizing for his actions, the complaint claims. 

 

In the complaint the woman also says that he sent her $1,000 to pay for school and during a phone conversation Bertrand told her: 'The Devil tempts me to think that you will tell someone and ruin my ministry.'

 

The woman filed a police report in April of this year after she reported the sexual encounters to church officials in 2012. 

Her claims were forwarded to the Diocese for investigation in 2014, NBC reported. 

 

The Diocese of San Diego confirmed to the station that Bertrand is facing these charges in Minnesota. A leave of absence was granted to Bertrand after Aida Bustos, spokesperson for the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego, learned of a possibility of charges being filed.

 

Bertrand, who faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted, also served at the Santa Sophia Parish in Spring Valley from 2013 to 2015. Fr Devdas Masillamony, of the Santa Sophia Church, told the station that he is shocked by the allegations against Bertrand.

 

'He's a very caring person. He loved the people. Loved his ministry. He's a man of prayer and a very charismatic person,' said Masillamony.

Bertrand's attorney told NBC that they will fight against these allegations, which are not true.