Vatican Court Convicts and Sentences a Priest for Corruption of a Minor

Fr. Gabriele Martinelli, a former minor seminarian in the Pius X Preseminary, has been convicted of corruption. Until 2021, Martinelli worked in the Vatican, but was found guilty of corruption of a minor, after his acquittal on all charges in the initial trial due to insufficient evidence.

A man identified as L.G. says Martinelli abused him from 2007-2012, beginning when L.G. was 13 years old, and Martinelli would have been 14.

Vatican News reported that the Court of Appeal of the Vatican City State, presided over by Archbishop Alejandro Arellano Cedillo, sentenced a 31-year-old Italian priest from Como to two years and six months of imprisonment.
The sentence also included a 1,000 euro fine for the crime of corruption of a minor he committed when he was a student at the Saint Pius Preseminary from 9 August 2008 to 19 March 2009.
Fr. Gabriele Martinelli was charged with the crime after a complaint presented by another former seminarian, named L.G.

In a first-degree verdict, the young priest had been declared not punishable for the facts committed until 2 August 2008, as at the time he was under 16 , and for the charges of rape and acts of lust against the plaintiff, then seven months younger, due to a lack of evidence.
The appeal against the sentence was presented by the Vatican Promoter of Justice Roberto Zannotti and by the civil party, the lawyer Laura Sgrò.

At first instance, on 6 October 2021, after almost a year of trial, Fr. Martinelli had been acquitted of all charges by the Vatican Tribunal due to insufficient evidence.
Fr. Enrico Radice, age 73, the former rector of the Preseminary, was formally located in the Vatican, had been accused of aiding and abetting and was acquitted for lack of evidence.
Both priests are incardinated in the Diocese of Como, which manages the institute through the an organization called Opera Don Folci.
The pre-seminary is run by the religious group, the Opera Don Folci. It was located within Vatican City until Pope Francis ordered it to be relocated in 2021.

According to The Pillar: Martinelli maintains his innocence. He continues to deny the allegations, suggesting that they are an attack on the pre-seminary.

Please Pray for all those involved in this case and all victims of abuse....
Sources: Vatican News and The Pillar