<p>A southside priest who was suspended by the Archdiocese of Indianapolis in February was arrested Tuesday in Hamilton County on felony sexual abuse charges following a months-long investigation.</p>
<p>Fr. David Marcotte, who had been living at Saints Francis and Clare of Assisi Roman Catholic Church and School in the Center Grove area, was suspended in February after the archdiocese’s victim assistance coordinator received a report of sexual abuse involving a minor from 2016.</p>
<p>Marcotte, 32, faces three felony charges of child solicitation, vicarious sexual gratification with a victim or victims under 16 but older than 13, and dissemination of matter harmful to minors. If convicted on all charges, he could face up to 14.5 years in prison.</p>
<p>Marcotte’s phone records revealed he had an inappropriate relationship with a 15-year-old — now 17-year-old — boy who he met when he was an administrator and coach at St. Malachy Catholic School in Brownsburg, according to court documents filed Tuesday in Hamilton Superior Court No. 1.</p>
<p>The relationship, which lasted about 18 months, involved multiple instances of Marcotte and the victim taking part in sexual acts on video via FaceTime and other social media applications, as well as inappropriate conversations, court documents said.</p>
<p>The victim told Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department detectives he knew if Marcotte asked him to FaceTime, that meant there would be sexual conversation and activity. This happened four or five times, according to court documents.</p>
<p>The Archdiocese reported the alleged abuse to the police and notified the chair of the Archdiocesan Board of Review after the initial allegations, according to a statement from the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.</p>
<p>“The Archdiocese has cooperated with law enforcement throughout its investigation. Fr. Marcotte has been prohibited from all public ministry while the investigation and legal process is ongoing,” the statement said.</p>
<p>The Archdiocese won’t remove Marcotte from the priesthood unless a court of law finds him guilty, spokesperson Greg Otolski said.</p>
<p>Marcotte had first been an associate pastor at SS. Francis and Clare in 2014, then returned to the parish in 2017 and was providing sacramental assistance, which means he was helping with saying Mass, the archdiocese said. He was living at Saints Francis and Clare at the time. He was also the chaplain at Roncalli High School and University of Indianapolis up until the time of his suspension.</p>
<p>The Saints Francis and Clare parish includes a church and school for children ages six weeks through eighth grade, and is located on Olive Branch Road. Roncalli is a private Catholic high school located on the far southside of Indianapolis, just north of the county line.</p>
<p>Saints Francis and Clare on Tuesday said it would not comment on the matter. Roncalli referred all questions to the Archdiocese.</p>
<p>On Feb. 6, the Archdiocese’s victim assistance coordinator received a report of sexual abuse involving a minor from 2016. The Archdiocese immediately filed a report with police, and notified the chairperson of the Archdiocesan Review Board.</p>
<p>During his suspension, he is not allowed on church property and cannot present himself as a priest, Otolski said.</p>
<p>Marcotte was also a chaplain at University of Indianapolis in 2017 and 2018, and an administrator at St. Martin of Tours Parish in Martinsville in 2017.</p>
