Worcester priest and ex-kindergarten teacher pleads guilty to child porn possession

WORCESTER – Gregory Lisby, the former Worcester rector and Holyoke kindergarten teacher accused of possessing child pornography last September pleaded guilty to the charge Friday in federal court, and has separately been “credibly” accused of abusing a teenager, his diocese alleged.

In a letter sent to congregants Friday, Rev. Douglas J. Fisher, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts, revealed that, since Lisby was charged with child pornography last September, the diocese has found “devastating credible evidence” that Lisby sexually abused a teenager “after he was ordained as a priest in 2007.”

A diocese spokeswoman provided the letter but said she could not comment further, citing concerns about the victim’s privacy. She declined to say whether police had been notified or were investigating.

The letter does not say which congregation the alleged victim attended. Lisby was suspended from his post as rector at All Saints Church in Worcester in 2018, according to a statement Fisher released last September, for an “inappropriate relationship with an adult that did not involve sexual contact.”

Fisher wrote in his letter Friday that the church is moving to remove Lisby from the Episcopal priesthood and has banned him from contacting congregants without permission.

Fisher said Lisby’s husband, Rev. Timothy Burger of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Worcester, is “in no way implicated in any of these charges” and has filed for divorce from Lisby.

The FBI raided the St. Luke’s rectory at 1919 Pleasant St., where Lisby and Burger lived, Sept. 11 after a cyber tip from Microsoft alerted agents to child pornography on his personal cloud storage.

FBI agents wrote in court documents that they found about 180 images and 15 videos appearing to depict child porn in storage Lisby used. They said many files were acquired via the TOR browser – software using the so-called dark web, which allows Internet users to make it more difficult to track their activity.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen M. Noto described some of the files in detail Friday, saying that the image that led Microsoft to tip-off state police was one depicting sex between two boys believed to be between ages 11 and 14.

Among other files discovered, she said, were images of toddlers and depictions of children being sexually abused, including a sex act on a male adolescent using a piece of fruit. Also found was a file depicting sex between an adult man and a boy believed to be between 8 and 12 years old, Noto said.

Lisby, dressed in beige prison garb and bound by chains at his feet, alternated between staring ahead and toward the ground as Noto detailed what investigators found.

In addition to the child pornography, the FBI reported finding personal documents on the same drive, including a document belonging to Mr. Lisby for a post-baccalaureate teacher licensure program on which he stated: “If I could teach any grade, I would love to be a kindergarten teacher.

“The joy, spontaneity, and openness to the learning of younger children are what attracts me to early childhood education.”

Lisby resigned his position as a kindergarten teacher at the Morgan School in Holyoke soon after the rectory was raided.

Holyoke Superintendent Stephen Zrike issued a statement Friday in which he said prosecutors found no evidence the child pornography was linked to any students. He said any questions or information could be directed to the U.S. Attorney’s Office Project Safe Childhood hotline at 617-748-3274.

Asked through a spokeswoman Friday whether the schools have investigated Lisby and could share any findings, Zrike issued a statement Saturday in which he wrote, “At the time of his arrest, we investigated his interactions with students and did not uncover any inappropriate conduct toward students in Holyoke.”

Fisher encouraged anyone who wished to speak to him or “share relevant information” to call him at (413) 417-2401.

“I cannot undo this terrible situation, but I can commit our diocese, to tell the truth, and seeking healing and reconciliation for anyone who has been harmed by Lisby,” he wrote.

Fisher also apologized to the victim.

“I am deeply saddened to know that a priest is alleged to have committed such a grievous sin, and on behalf of the entire church, I offer my most heartfelt apology to the victim, the victim’s family and to everyone whose trust in the church has been violated,” he wrote.

Fisher asked congregants to pray for everyone affected by the revelation, including “for Greg himself.”

Lisby remains in federal custody and is set to be sentenced June 25 on one count of possession of child pornography. He did not strike a plea deal with prosecutors.

Lisby’s defense lawyer in the child pornography case, Timothy G. Watkins, declined comment on the abuse allegation Friday.