FRIAR SUED FOR SEXUAL ABUSE

A CARMELITE FRIAR ARRESTED EARLIER THIS YEAR FOR ALLEGED SEXUAL ABUSE OF A NOKOMIS TEENAGE BOY HAS BEEN SUED.  PUBLISHED REPORTS SAY 53 YEAR OLD WILLIAM WERT OF VENICE WAS PICKED UP IN FEBRUARY AFTER THE FATHER FOUND INAPPROPRIATE TEXT MESSAGES ON THE BOY’S PHONE FROM WERT.  VENICE ATTORNEY GEOFFREY MORRIS FILED THE COMPLAINT IN THE 12^TH JUDICIAL COURT ON FRIDAY WHICH ALLEGES WERT ABUSED THE BOY IN NUMEROUS LOCATIONS, INCLUDING A HOME ON SOUTH HARBOR DRIVE THAT’S OWNED BY THE CARMELITE, A WOODED AREA, A HOTEL IN VENICE, AND WERT’S CAR FROM SEPTEMBER 2010 THROUGH JANUARY.  THE CARMELITE IS ALSO BEING SUED FOR LIABLE, WITH THE ORDER SAYING THEY FAILED TO SUPERVISE WERT, WHO HAD A PREVIOUS CONVICTION OF ASSAULTING A TEENAGE BOY IN WASHINGTON, D.C.  A JURY TRIAL WAS REQUESTED.  AUTHORITIES SEIZED A COMPUTER AT WERT’S HOME AFTER HIS FEBRUARY 1^ST ARREST ON TWO COUNTS OF LEWD OR LASCIVIOUS BATTERY, AND MORE CHARGES WERE ADDED LATER THAT WEEK.  WERT IS BEING HELD ON $190,000 BOND.