( Cincinnati, OH ) - He could have been locked up for decades on nine rape charges, but a former Tri-State priest will only spend seven years in prison after accepting a plea deal Thursday.
Father Geoff Drew was accused of raping a young altar boy multiple times between 1988 and 1991 and agreed to plead guilty to each of the charges in exchange for a lighter sentence. He'll serve seven years for each count concurrently with credit for the two years he's already served in jail awaiting trial.
The victim, who is now an adult, spoke during sentencing and told Drew that he ruined the majority of his life and killed the child he once was. The victim also said that he was not happy with the plea deal but agreed to it anyway.
Hamilton County Judge Leslie Ghiz went along with the deal, even though she said she would have gladly sent him to prison for life. She also pointed out that she isn't the one who passes ultimate judgement on the priest.
A statement from the Archbishop of Cincinnati says Drew will never again have a priestly assignment in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati or any other diocese ever again.