April 2, 2008
Members of the U.S. Marshals New York/New Jersey Task Force this afternoon took Father Robert Yurgel into custody in Passaic, New Jersey on outstanding warrants from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.
Yurgel (WM, DOB 9-2-1964) was wanted on five counts of indecent liberties with a child and two counts of statutory sex offense in connection with a 1999 case the victim recently reported to CMPD detectives. The victim was a juvenile at the time the offenses occurred.
Warrants were issued in Mecklenburg County this morning for Yurgel and turned over to the Charlotte-based Hornet's Nest Task Force to locate and arrest. The information was relayed to the New York/New Jersey task force, which located and arrested Yurgle at his Passaic, New Jersey church residence.
Yurgel was a priest at St. Matthews Catholic Church when the incidents occurred. He served at that church from 1997-1999 and was then assigned to the Our Lady of Consolation Church for a short time before transferring to a parish in the northeast.
Yurgel will be brought back to Charlotte to face these charges.
