Priest admitted to fondling, police say

Attorney says investigators tricked Koveos

A Greek priest admitted three times that he fondled a preteen girl, demonstrated his actions twice to police and later wrote a letter of apology, a sex crimes investigator testified Tuesday.

But the lawyer for the Rev. Emmanuel E. Koveos showed the admissions came only after police used deception to trick the priest, who immigrated to America in 1970.

The girl is expected to testify when the trial resumes today.

Koveos, of Ledge Road, has pleaded innocent to lewd and lascivious conduct with a child at his Burlington church Jan. 22, 1997.

Koveos, 62, was suspended as pastor of the Dormition of the Mother of God Greek Orthodox Church after he was charged with fondling the girl. He was teaching Greek to three girls and brought the victim into his office for a one-on-one session, police allege. He left the other two with another church member.

The victim’s mother told a packed courtroom the priest’s alleged lewd conduct has divided the state’s only active Greek Orthodox Church. The mother testified she lost one of her close friends in the church because of the accusations against Koveos.

“He has divided the community,” the mother said as she tried to retain her composure.

Defense lawyer Karen Shingler objected and Judge James Crucitti order the answer struck from the record.

The mother testified she walked in on her daughter and the priest in his office and found him on the phone talking to her husband, saying he would take their daughter home. She said she never gave his offer much thought until after her daughter got into the car, broke down and told what happened.

Also testifying Tuesday by videotape was one of the two other girls from the class. The second student said she noticed the victim was clearly upset by what happened in the private lesson.

She said she also heard part of what the victim reported to her mother about the incident.

Burlington Lt. Steve Wark testified that sex offenders often deny their misconduct, so it is important for police to develop a rapport when first approaching them. He said he and investigator Linda Carey asked for a tour of the church property when they arrived “to break the ice,” and chatted with Koveos.

Wark said he was using deception