PHOENIX — A former Valley priest indicted on charges including sexual conduct with a minor is said to be facing "imminent death" from "aggressive stage 4 pancreatic cancer."
Court documents filed last Thursday show that Father John "Jack" Spaulding's cancer has spread to other organs.
In early January of this year, a Maricopa County Grand Jury charged Spaulding, 74, with six counts of sexual misconduct with a minor and one count of molestation of a child.
He is accused of sexually abusing two boys, who were under the age of 15, between the years of 2003 and 2007. During that time span, Spaulding was a Priest at St. Gabriel's Catholic Church in Phoenix and St. Timothy's in Mesa.
Additional details about Father Spaulding's activities were outlined in a 2012 civil lawsuit.
Spaulding was summoned to appear in court Friday morning for an arraignment on the charges against him. This arraignment has been moved to March 6 as Spaulding battles the cancer at home.
His defense lawyers have now requested that he be allowed to appear electronically because he is currently bedridden.
He is said to be extremely weak and has recently suffered "two injurious falls at his home."
