Former priest committed to sex-offender treatment

A DuPage County jury ruled Wednesday that a former Hinsdale priest is a "sexually violent person" and should be committed to a state mental-health treatment facility.

Fred Lenczycki, 63, abused about 30 young boys over the course of 25 years at six parishes in Illinois, Missouri and California, according to testimony given during the four-day court proceedings. He pleaded guilty in 2004 to molesting three boys while assigned to St. Isaac Jogues Catholic Church from 1980 to 1984 and served half of his 5-year prison sentence.

After his release on parole in April 2006, the state sought to commit Lenczycki to a treatment facility under the Sexually Violent Persons Commitment Act. Illinois law allows convicted sex offenders to be committed to treatment facilities after their release from prison if the state can prove that it is likely they will commit another violent sex crime.

Lenczycki will return to an Illinois Department of Human Services Treatment and Detention Center in Rushville, about 55 miles northwest of Springfield, where he will continue treatment. During the case, four clinical psychologists -- two testifying for the state and two on behalf of Lenczycki -- said he suffers from pedophilia, a mental disorder that causes him to be sexually attracted to children.

Dan Petrella can be reached at dpetrella@mysuburbanlife.com