Thirty-one-year-old suspended Roman Catholic Priest David S. Huneck pleaded guilty to two felony charges this week.
On Monday, Huneck pleaded guilty to two of the six counts against him–child seduction and sexual battery. Both of the charges are level 6 felonies, the state’s lowest level.
According to the terms of the plea agreement, he will be sentenced to 10 to 90 days on each count to be served at the same time in the Whitley County Jail. He is eligible to petition the court to have the charges dropped to a misdemeanor level at the time of sentencing.
In late September, Bishop Kevin Rhodes suspended Huneck from his position as parish priest at St. Paul of the Cross parish in Columbia City and as chaplain at Bishop Dwenger High School after the allegations surfaced.
Huneck, age 31, is accused of using his position as chaplain to involve himself with the first victim, age 17. The teens told police he invited both teenagers to his church residence for his birthday in June, gave them alcohol, became intoxicated himself and then groped and fondled them, according to court documents.
The second young woman is 19, according to court documents.
At sentencing, additional misdemeanor charges of battery, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and furnishing alcohol to a minor will be dismissed.
A sentencing date has not yet been set. He remains out on bond.
