Former Findlay priest committed sex crimes for 21 years, found guilty on Friday
FINDLAY Michael Zacharias, aged 53, was convicted on Friday by a federal jury on five counts of sex trafficking for offenses spanning from around 1999 to July 2020. The former priest from Findlay, Ohio, previously associated with St. Michael the Archangel Parish, faced charges related to sex trafficking of minors and adults through force, fraud, or coercion.
Zacharias, arrested in August 2020, was found guilty on five sex trafficking charges, including one count each of sex trafficking of a minor, sex trafficking of a minor by force, fraud, and coercion, and sex trafficking of an adult by force, fraud, or coercion (two counts). The sentencing date will be determined by the judge next week.
Prosecutors revealed that Zacharias exploited his position as a priest to target underage victims, leveraging their vulnerability due to drug addiction to coerce them into engaging in sexual activities. Court documents detailed instances where Zacharias groomed victims, building connections by offering attention, affection, money, and gifts while making inappropriate sexual comments.
One case involved Zacharias meeting a victim at a local school during his time in the seminary. The abuser engaged in a grooming process, befriending and connecting with the minor and, at times, their family to lower inhibitions for sexual abuse. Money was provided to support the victim’s drug addiction in exchange for alleged sexual acts, continuing into adulthood.
In another case, Zacharias used similar methods to groom the underage sibling of one of his victims, exploiting their drug addiction and maintaining a relationship by providing financial support.
The FBI special agent involved in the initial charge emphasized the abuse of trust, stating, “Michael Zacharias used his respected position to prey on and take advantage of youth and adults for his own sexual gratification.”
The Diocese of Toledo revealed that Zacharias’ case would be presented to the Holy See, the governing body of the Roman Catholic Church, which would determine his status as a priest. Although removed from “public priestly ministry” upon arrest in 2020, Zacharias has not been defrocked, pending the Holy See’s decision.
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), a prominent victim’s advocacy group, applauded the conviction, acknowledging the courage of the victims. SNAP urged the church to take stronger measures to prevent abuse and criticized the efficacy of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People in addressing institutional faults and ensuring transparency.
The Diocese of Toledo emphasized reporting any allegations of sexual abuse by affiliated individuals to local law enforcement and encouraged reporting to the Diocesan Victim Assistance Coordinator.
