By Shereen Siewert
A former Wausau Roman Catholic priest previously convicted of molesting teenage boys under his care will spend an additional three years in prison and a lifetime on supervision after police found graphic images of children on his computer.
The Rev. Timothy E. Svea was 39 in 2002, when he was convicted of second-degree sexual assault of a child younger than 16 and several counts of exposing himself to a child. He also pleaded guilty to false imprisonment. Svea, who was suspended of his duties in 2001 by the Institute of Christ the King after allegations surfaced, is now 59 and was living in Mosinee when a new investigation began.
Svea was charged anew in December 2022 after a computer technician reported finding the images on a computer that was in for repair. This time, he faced a single charge of possessing child pornography with a caveat – prosecutors sought to place Svea on lifetime supervision due to the serious nature of the crime. Under state law, judges can use this criteria if they determine “that lifetime supervision of the person is necessary to protect the public.”
The previous case sent shock waves through the Wausau area’s Catholic community. According to an Associated Press report from 2002, the abuse began in 1998 while Svea headed a mission group in Monroe County and continued when the group moved in 1999 to St. Mary ‘s in Wausau. One of the boys told investigators that Svea invited him to his office and showed him photos of naked men. That activity escalated, court records state, as Svea gave weekly massages in which he molested the boy.
The boy said in one incident, he was handcuffed and bound to a bed, according to the AP report.
During a sentencing hearing in 2002 in Marathon County Circuit Court, then-District Attorney Jill Falstad said Svea had shown remorse and cooperated with authorities, but he abused his position as a religious leader.
And Svea himself apologized to Circuit Judge Patrick Brady, who has since retired.
“I’ve hurt these young men,” Svea told the judge. “I’ve hurt the church and I’ve offended my god.”
In the 2001 case, Svea was sentenced to 18 months in prison. Now, he’ll spend more time behind bars after pleading no contest to the charge.
In addition to prison time, Circuit Judge Greg Strasser ordered Svea to spend 10 years on extended supervision in addition to the Sex Offender Registry ruling. He is prohibited from having any social media accounts oir having any contact with minors without prior approval.
