A former Steubenville Diocese priest pled no contest to molesting a teenager in Wyoming. But he says his indecent actions were for spiritual reasons not for sexual gratification. Platt County, Wyoming Prosecutor Eric Alden says church officials came to him prompting a criminal investigation into the actions of father Anthony Jablonowski. Jablonowski was a preacher at a church in Wyoming in the early 80's.

"It originally came from a case of adults tied up and beaten," Alden told NEWS 9. "They were induced by him calling it a religious ritual."

According to Alden, Jablonowski regularly took men to the church basement, asked them to strip, then, bound and gagged them. Alden says the men hung from the ceiling as their genitals were manipulated to induce pain, while the men prayed. Further investigation found juveniles were involved in the religious rituals. This week, Jablonowski pled guilty to sex abuse charges with a minor.

"The charges we agreed not to file come from what I would call sado-masochistic rituals," Alden said.

Jablonowski was a priest with the Diocese of Steubenville from 1997 until the accusations came out in June of last year. Jablonski worked at a church near Marietta, which is part of the Steubenville Diocese.

Msgr. Gerald Calovini -- the spokesman for the diocese -- says no victims from our area have come forward. Jablonski remains a priest of the diocese but he was directed not to engage in any public ministry.

Jablonski will serve 7 months to 15 years behind bars for molesting the teen. Recently, Jablonski set up his own religious community in Waterford. He has 700 followers. Calovini is urging any victims of the priest to report the crimes to the diocese.

Ashlea Kosikowski, NEWS 9.