Arkansas priest pleads guilty to animal cruelty, reassigned to Shreveport
By Web Staff
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SHREVEPORT, Louisiana (KTBS) — A West Memphis, Ark. Catholic priest who pleaded guilty last week to two counts of animal cruelty is reportedly receiving a transfer to the Diocese of Shreveport.
According to Fox 13 in Memphis, Father Charles Thessing, 63, was arrested in West Memphis in February and charged with aggravated cruelty to animals for allegedly drowning cats.
Last week he pleaded guilty to two counts of cruelty to animals and was ordered to pay a $3,000 fine, including a $530 fine and a $2,250 restitution payment to the West Memphis Animal Shelter.
At the time he was arrested, he was reportedly serving as the lead priest at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in West Memphis and Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Crawfordsville, Ark. He was removed from his posts while the case was pending.
According to a publication of the Catholic Church, Thessing has been appointed to begin a new assignment in the Diocese of Shreveport effective Jan. 1. There is no information on what his new assignment will be. He will remain incardinated in the Diocese of Little Rock.
KTBS reached out to the Diocese of Shreveport for comment but has not yet received a response.
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