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Conroe priest indicted on 2 of 4 child indecency charges

Manuel La Rosa-Lopez is accused of sexually abusing two children while he was a priest at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Conroe.

HOUSTON — A grand jury has indicted a Conroe priest on two of four charges of indecency with a child.

Manuel La Rosa-Lopez is accused of sexually abusing two children while he was a priest at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Conroe. He was arrested in September 2018 for the crimes that allegedly happened over a span of several years in the late 1990s to early 2000s.

The two people told The Associated Press they reported La Rosa-Lopez and met with Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston about the incidents.

One of them said she was promised in a meeting with DiNardo, several years after she first reported the abuse, that the priest would be removed from any contact with children, only to discover that the priest remained in active ministry at another parish 70 miles away.

A third accuser came forward last October with allegations LaRosa-Lopez sexually abused the man when he was in middle school and took place when LaRosa-Lopez was training to be a priest.

LaRosa-Lopez is due back in court May 13.

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