BLOOMFIELD — A Stoddard County grand jury indicted a retired Catholic priest last week on sodomy and sexual abuse charges.
Frederick Joseph Lutz, 76, of Springfield, Missouri, was indicted March 3 on two unclassified felonies of forcibly sodomy and two Class C felonies of deviate sexual abuse, Stoddard County Prosecuting Attorney Russ Oliver said in a news release.
The charges stem from allegations, which were reported to have occurred in 2000 while Lutz served as the priest at St. Joseph Parish in Advance. Lutz also served at other Southeast Missouri parishes, including Doniphan.
The indictment, Oliver said, supersedes the previously filed complaint in Lutz’s case.
Lutz previously had been charged with two counts of second-degree statutory sodomy and the felonies of forcible sodomy and sexual abuse. He was supposed to appeared Thursday before Associate Circuit Judge Joe Satterfield for a preliminary hearing in his case.
After his indictment, Lutz appeared on March 4 before Presiding Circuit Judge Robert Mayer.
During that appearance, Mayer reduced Lutz’s bond from $125,000 cash only to $25,000 cash or surety, according to docket entries on Casenet.
Conditions of Lutz’s bond say he is to be fitted for ankle monitoring before leaving jail. He also is to be on house arrest except for court appearances or doctors appointments.
By agreement of Oliver and Lutz’s attorney, Mayer reportedly sent the case to Cape Girardeau County on a change of venue.
Lutz, who was released on bond March 4, is to appear at 10 a.m. March 23 for arraignment before Judge Benjamin Lewis.