Former priest sentenced for drugging, molesting 17 men
METAIRIE, La. (WGNO) — A former Louisiana priest pleaded guilty to drugging and molesting 17 men he picked up in New Orleans' touristy French Quarter.
Stephen Sauer, 61, will serve 25 years in prison in connection to multiple sexual assault charges starting in 2019. He targeted people in the French Quarter who appeared drunk, lost or in need of help, according to Jefferson Parish District Attorney Paul D. Connick Jr. Many of the victims were visiting from out of state.
In some cases, he would drug victims men by putting different narcotics in their drinks and used an eyedropper to feed them the sleep-inducing substances after they passed out before bringing them back to his home.
Court documents revealed that back in June 2021, an investigation began on Saucer after he sent a computer hard drive to an electronics repair company in New York.
A data recovery technician found hundreds of images suggesting sexual assault. New York law enforcement officials determined the images were taken in Louisiana and notified the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Detectives were able to identify many victims due to photographs of their driver’s licenses or other forms of identification taken by Saucer. However, detectives believe that more than 50 victims remain unidentified.
Sauer was sentenced Friday after he pleaded guilty to 13 counts of sexual battery, nine counts of third-degree rape, 17 counts of video voyeurism and 16 misdemeanor charges of possessing drugs without prescriptions and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Judge Shayna Beevers Morvant gave Sauer the 25-year sentence, ordered him to register as a sex offender and banned him from contacting 12 of the victims.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.