GREAT FALLS — A retired Montana priest is charged with receiving child pornography.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office says 80-year-old Lothar Konrad Krauth made an initial appearance in federal court Friday. He was ordered held pending a detention hearing Wednesday. His attorney, Jason Holden, did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.
The complaint says officers acting on a tip discovered 400 images of child pornography at Krauth’s residence in Great Falls, some involving children as young as 2.
The Great Falls Tribune reports Krauth was assigned to Our Lady of Lourdes Church from 1989 to 2014. The complaint alleges the crimes occurred in 2017 and 2018.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Great Falls-Billings said it had never received a complaint about Krauth regarding sexual abuse of children. The diocese recently settled 86 sexual abuse claims for $20 million.