WESTLAND — Fr. Patrick Casey, former pastor of St. Theodore of Canterbury Parish in Westland, pleaded guilty Oct. 8 to a misdemeanor of aggravated assault in Third Circuit Court, according to the Michigan Attorney General's office.

Fr. Casey had been standing trial for third-degree criminal sexual conduct after he was accused of engaging in sexual behavior with an adult penitent in the confessional in 2013.

Fr. Casey, 56, was arrested May 23 and awaits sentencing in the case following the plea deal.

Fr. Casey is one of more than a half-dozen priests facing charges related to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel's investigation into sexual abuse in Michigan's seven Catholic dioceses.

According to news reports, the jury hearing Fr. Casey's case had been deadlocked a day earlier during deliberations. 

In 2015, the Archdiocese of Detroit restricted Fr. Casey from ministry after learning about the allegations, and he remains restricted as the canonical process regarding the allegations continues. He is not allowed to present himself publicly as a priest or exercise any pastoral ministry, and he is part of a monitoring program by the Archdiocese of Detroit to ensure compliance with those restrictions. 

Fr. Casey was pastor of St. Theodore of Canterbury and St. Damian parishes in Westland from 2012-15. 

Ordained in 1997, Fr. Casey also served as chaplain of Cardinal Mooney High School in Marine City (1997-2000); associate pastor of St. Mary Queen of Creation Parish in New Baltimore (1997-2000); administrator of St. Dominic and St. Patrick parishes in Detroit (2000-04); and administrator and later pastor of St. Thomas a’Becket Parish in Canton (2004-12). He also was administrator of Divine Savior Parish in Westland from 2011-15.