A new trial date has been set in the case of Michael Zacharias, the former Findlay priest accused of sex trafficking offenses involving minors and adults.
His trial was set to begin on February 6th in U.S. District Court in Toledo but has now been moved back to May 2nd.
Zacharias, the former pastor at St. Michael The Archangel Parish in Findlay, was arrested in August of 2020 and indicted in October of that year.
The offenses Zacharias has been charged with allegedly involve boys from Catholic schools in Toledo.
The charges he’s facing include a total of five counts; two counts of sex trafficking of a minor by force, fraud, or coercion; two counts of sex trafficking an adult by force, fraud, or coercion and one count of sex trafficking of a minor.
“This defendant is accused of using his status and position as a religious and community leader to seek out troubled minors and exploit their personal challenges for his own satisfaction,” said U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman.