Ex-priest sentenced to 25 years for drugging and molesting men he met in New Orleans tourist area

METAIRIE, La. (AP) — A former Catholic priest in Louisiana has been sentenced to 25 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to drugging and molesting 17 men he met in a popular tourist area in New Orleans. Jefferson Parish District Attorney Paul Connick Jr. says 61-year-old Stephen Sauer targeted people in the French Quarter who appeared drunk, lost or in need of help. The crimes occurred from 2019 to 2021, and many victims were from out of state. The prosecutor says Sauer put narcotics in their drinks or gave them sleep-inducing drugs. He then drove the victims to his home in suburban Metairie, where he photographed or videotaped the unconscious men and molested some of them.