Former priest arrested second time on abuse charges

The Gazette, Maryland/September 14, 2006
By Liza Gutierrez

A former priest at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Olney was arrested Wednesday on charges of sexually abusing a boy 28 years ago.

William McSherry Stock, 63, of the 13800 block of Parkland Drive in Aspen Hill, also had been arrested in May on charges of custodial child abuse that stemmed from an alleged incident in 1980. Stock served as associate pastor at St. Peter’s from 1974 to 1983.

The investigation that led to this week’s arrest began in June after police reported the first incident.

Officers know that this type of sexual abuse is usually not a one-time, one-person occurrence, Montgomery County Police spokeswoman Lucille Baur said. Police made the original arrest public so that other alleged victims knew an investigation was being conducted, she said.

The now-41-year-old male victim from Laytonsville was allegedly abused by Stock when the victim was 14 years old, police said. The victim reported that during a face-to-face confession with the priest at St. Peter’s Catholic Church the priest touched him inappropriately.

Approximately two weeks later, Stock drove the victim and other altar boys to the movies. During the movie, Stock sat next to the victim and touched him inappropriately, police reported.

After the movie, the other boys were dropped off and the victim was left alone with the priest. The victim was then driven to the church, where Stock asked for help with some boxes. As they entered a cloakroom, Stock again inappropriately touched and sexually assaulted the victim, police said.

Stock was arrested on charges of child abuse, second-degree sex offense and four counts of third-degree sex offense. He is being held at the Montgomery County Detention Center on $100,000 bond.

The first investigation leading to the May arrest began two months prior, when a 42-year-old man from Silver Spring reported being abused by Stock 26 years earlier.

Stock was ordained a priest in 1969. In the course of his priesthood he also served at St. Jane de Chantal in Bethesda, 1969-1973; Mount Calvary in Forestville, 1973-1974; Our Lady Queen of Peace in Washington, D.C., 1984; and St. Paul’s in Damascus, 1984-1985.

He has not served as a priest since 1985.

Stock registered to be a substitute teacher with Montgomery County Public Schools in fall 2003, but was only listed for possible employment through March 2004, police said.