Retired Greensburg priest charged after two reports
- A retired Greensburg priest has been charged after two alleged victims reported historical sexual abuse to prosecutors. - Authorities say the charges followed victim statements and an investigation into incidents from years earlier. - The case highlights renewed prosecutorial focus on clergy abuse and may encourage other survivors to come forward. (wpxi.com)
Gregory Mercuri, a 76-year-old retired priest from the Diocese of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, was charged on May 16, 2026, with multiple counts of indecent assault and corruption of minors. Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli announced the charges stem from allegations by two victims who reported abuse occurring between 1979 and 1983, when Mercuri served at St. Pius X Parish in Mount Pleasant. Mercuri turned himself in at the Westmoreland County jail on Friday morning and was released after posting $50,000 bail. Court records show he faces 11 felony counts, including two counts of indecent assault of a person under 13 years old. Ziccarelli stated during a press conference that "these brave survivors came forward after decades of silence, providing detailed accounts that our investigators corroborated." ### Victims' Reports and Timeline The first victim, now in his 50s, reported in early 2026 that Mercuri abused him multiple times starting in 1979, when he was 11 years old. The second victim came forward weeks later with similar claims of abuse beginning in 1981. Both incidents allegedly took place at the parish rectory during youth group activities or after Masses. Investigators reviewed parish records and interviewed witnesses who recalled Mercuri's interactions with altar boys. No prior complaints against Mercuri appear in public diocesan lists of credibly accused clergy, though the Diocese of Greensburg has acknowledged past abuse cases in its 2018 grand jury response. Ziccarelli emphasized that the statute of limitations does not apply due to recent Pennsylvania laws extending reporting windows for childhood sexual abuse. ### Specific Charges and Evidence Mercuri faces: - Four counts of indecent assault (person under 13) - Four counts of indecent assault (person under 16) - Two counts of corruption of minors - One count of endangering the welfare of children Prosecutors cited victim testimonies describing grooming tactics, such as inviting boys to the rectory for private counseling sessions that escalated to physical contact. Physical evidence is limited due to the age of the cases, but detectives obtained contemporaneous diary entries from one victim corroborating dates and locations. Mercuri has not entered
