DA considers offer of deal to priest

Kim Smith

Tuesday, May 21, 2002 | 11:11 a.m.

The parents of five men who claim they were sexually abused by a Henderson priest when they were teens planned to meet with prosecutors this afternoon, and one of the topics was to be the potential for a plea agreement.

"We've got the victims' parents coming in, but not specifically to talk about deals," District Attorney Stewart Bell said. "I think they called because they want some assurances that we're good to go and to give us a flavor as to how the boys feel."

Bell said he has considered extending an offer to the Rev. Mark Roberts, but he needs to talk to the families involved and Chief Deputy District Attorney Doug Herndon before any formal plea agreements are negotiated.

Roberts, who served at St. Peter the Apostle Roman Catholic Church, was arrested on nine pornography, lewdness and child abuse charges last month following an investigation by Henderson Police.

Prosecutors filed charges pertaining to only five of the six men who claim they were abused by Roberts. The statute of limitations had already expired in the sixth case.

The Diocese of Las Vegas has said Roberts checked into an unidentified center for treatment of an unspecified medical condition two days after he was suspended with pay Jan. 30. He remains free on $13,000 bail.

Although Roberts was scheduled to appear in Henderson Justice Court next week for a preliminary hearing, Bell said he and Roberts' attorney, George Foley Sr., have agreed to postpone the hearing for about one month.

"George just received the discovery, so he wants to go back to his client to discuss the case," Bell said.

Should Foley ask for another postponement, Bell said, the case will be taken to a grand jury.

Foley, when contacted last week, said he has no intention of ever discussing the Roberts case with the media.

In addition to the criminal charges, Roberts faces a lawsuit filed by the six young men. The attorney representing the men, Al Massi, intends to ask a District Court judge June 3 to add two other men to the lawsuit as plaintiffs.

Massi said this morning his clients' reaction to any deals would depend entirely upon what the deal includes.

"These are not vindictive people," Massi said. "I've never gotten the impression that these people are vengeful. They are truly Christian people who only want to make sure that their sons are not harmed again and that no one else's sons are harmed."