Police: Boy desecrated Jesus statue, posted photos

EVERETT, Pa. (AP) — A 14-year-old western Pennsylvania boy has been charged with desecrating a statue of Jesus by standing in front of it and mimicking a sex act, and then posting pictures of it on the Internet.

Bedford County officials say the court papers against the boy are sealed, because they’re filed in juvenile court.

The Altoona Mirror (http://bit.ly/1rWbR2X ) reports the boy is charged under a rarely used 1972 law that makes it a crime to desecrate a venerated object.

A college student was prosecuted under the same law when he urinated on a nativity scene in Wilkes-Barre in January 2010.

The statue at issue in the new case belongs to Love in the Name of Christ, a Christian service organization with a branch in Everett.

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Information from: Altoona Mirror, http://www.altoonamirror.com

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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