Ex-Chicago priest Daniel McCormack faces new sex abuse charge

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A former Chicago priest is being held without bond and has been charged in another sexual abuse case.

Daniel McCormack is a defrocked Roman Catholic priest and a convicted child sex offender. He appeared in court Thursday on new charges dating back to an incident back in 2005. His attorney said he suffers a mental disorder and calls him a "sexually violent person."

McCormack has already served prison time for abusing five boys. He now faces a new allegation from another boy who participated in an after-school program at St. Agatha on Chicago's West Side. Prosecutors say there were two incidents that took place between September and December of 2005.

"In the first incident, McCormack took the child to a White Sox game and after the game McCormack is alleged to have hugged the victim while he put his hands inside of the boy's pants," said Anita Alvarez, Cook County State's Attorney.

Alvarez says McCormack allegedly fondled the boy again when the priest invited the 10-year-old to his bedroom in the rectory.

"McCormack told victim not to tell anyone what has occurred," said Alvarez.

The victim, who is now 19, came forward seven years after McCormack pleaded guilty to multiple counts of criminal sexual abuse. McCormack was sentenced to five years in prison and paroled in 2009. At that time, prosecutors took immediate action to keep him detained at a mental health facility while they petitioned the court to have McCormack declared a sexually violent person. If the petition is granted, McCormack will remain in state custody indefinitely, which abuse support groups say is where the 45-year-old belongs.

"We know that he has abused many children in the past and my position would be, why risk putting him out there where he might abuse more in the future," said Barbara Blaine, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.

The Archdiocese of Chicago and Cardinal Francis George are also facing civil suits from three victims who claim the Archdiocese was negligent in allowing McCormack to work with boys unsupervised after abuse allegations were made.

"A week from today, Cardinal George will be deposed in an evidence deposition in connection with a series of McCormack civil cases that are currently pending," said Marc Pearlman, victims' attorney.

McCormack will be returning to court in June, not only for the latest criminal allegation, but also for the petition to declare him a sexually violent person.

The judge has decided that McCormack will remain at a state mental facility in Rushville, Ill., about 250 miles outside of Chicago.