Priest jailed, accused of fondling girl
The Diocese of Winona says a Blue Earth priest has been placed on administrative leave after he was charged with sexually assaulting a young girl.
Bishop John Quinn said in a statement that Rev. Leo Koppala is not allowed to minister in the Winona diocese while the investigation continues.
A criminal complaint filed in Faribault County accuses Koppala of fondling an 11-year-old girl last week at the home of her grandmother where he had been invited to dinner. The 47-year-old priest serves the Catholic Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Blue Earth.
Koppala is currently in the Faribault County Jail. The public defender's office did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
The St. Paul Pioneer Press says Koppala also raises funds for orphans in his native India through a website.
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Information from: St. Paul Pioneer Press
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