A Baltimore County jury on Thursday found William “Father Bill” Mannion Jr., a former Catonsville priest, guilty of one count of child abuse and four counts of second-degree sex offenses for abusing a 10-year-old student at St. Agnes Catholic School more than 30 years ago. The verdict followed a four-day trial in Baltimore County Circuit Court.

The allegations centered on abuse that occurred in 1994, when Mannion, then a priest at St. Agnes, reportedly groomed the boy and used religious teachings, including threats of eternal damnation, to coerce him into performing sexual acts in the church rectory after religious education classes. Mannion, 64, had been on house arrest before the verdict and was immediately remanded to the Baltimore County Detention Center by Judge Dennis Robinson Jr. He is scheduled for sentencing on December 14.

During the trial, the defense focused heavily on contesting the timeline of the alleged abuse. Attorney Chris Luber argued that the accuser’s various statements to therapists and investigators placed the abuse before Mannion’s arrival at St. Agnes in July 1994, asserting this inconsistency created reasonable doubt. According to Luber, the alleged victim’s accounts differed on whether the abuse happened between first and third grade, second and third grade, or second and fourth grade—all before Mannion served at the school.

Prosecutors countered this argument by emphasizing that Mannion and the boy overlapped at the parish for approximately six months in 1994, providing the opportunity for the abuse. Assistant State’s Attorney Stacy Amparo told jurors that survivors often piece together their memories over time and may not recall exact dates, but the core details remain consistent. She cited testimony from clinical social worker Crimson Barocca, who noted that survivors frequently retain the substance of the abuse even when timelines are unclear. Amparo highlighted that the victim recalled sensory details, such as the musty smell of a towel Mannion gave him, as evidence of the events’ authenticity.

Amparo also discussed the power imbalance inherent in the case, noting that the boy came from a religious family and viewed Mannion as a divine authority figure, which complicated the abuse and its impact. “This defendant was God on earth to him,” she said.

Mannion had initially faced one count of child abuse and 14 counts of second-degree sex offenses, but prosecutors dropped 10 counts before the trial concluded. The Archdiocese of Baltimore stated that Mannion left the priesthood in the 1990s and formally laicized himself in 2004 for reasons unrelated to abuse allegations. Around the same period as these accusations, Mannion reported allegations of sexual abuse against another priest, John Joseph Merzbacher, who was convicted of rape and sentenced to four life terms before dying in prison in 2023.

In his closing arguments, Luber pointed to a letter Mannion wrote requesting to be removed from the clerical state, which included references to struggling with celibacy and seeking to find a romantic partner. Prosecutors argued this letter revealed Mannion’s increased sexual desires during his time at St. Agnes, but Luber rejected its relevance to the abuse charges, saying the letter reflected personal struggles, not evidence of child sexual abuse.

Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger declined to comment on the case Thursday. Luber did not respond immediately to requests for comment following the verdict.