Incident occurred before Mass last month, authorities said
LITTLE FERRY -- A Roman Catholic priest who has served at several parishes across North Jersey was arrested Friday for pointing a musket at an 8-year-old parishioner, the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office said.
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Father Kevin Carter, 55, who is currently assigned to St. Margaret of Cortona Church, has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child and aggravated assault by pointing a firearm. Carter was being held on $15,000 bail in Little Ferry and has been ordered to surrender all firearms as well as to avoid contact with the child.
Authorities learned of the allegation after a St. Margaret parishioner contacted the Archdiocese of Newark a week ago. The archdiocese contacted the prosecutor's office Monday.
The incident occurred Sept. 13, when the child and his family arrived at the church for Sunday Mass, according to a subsequent investigation by the prosecutor's office Special Victims Unit and Little Ferry police. Before the service, Carter allegedly asked to see the child in a room at the rectory, then ordered him to stand against a wall. Authorities said Carter then grabbed a "Civil War-style" musket and aimed at it him. The incident was seen by several people who were outside the room at the time, authorities also said.
Police later seized the functioning weapon as well as ammunition, gun powder and other items.
After being ordained in 1986 in Newark, Carter served at churches in Wyckoff, Hillsdale, Oakland, Ho-Ho-kus and at St. Nicholas Church in Jersey City before coming to St. Margaret's in February 2013, according to the prosecutor's office.
Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @PaulMilo2. FindNJ.com on Facebook
