Catholic priest accused of mob ties

SCRANTON, Pa., Jan. 3 (UPI) -- Police in Pennsylvania arrested a priest on perjury charges in relation to grand jury testimony about a relationship with an organized crime boss.

Police arrested the Rev. Joseph F. Sica Wednesday on perjury charges relating to his testimony in the case of an acquaintance, Louis DeNaples, accused of lying on a slot-machine license application, the Harrisburg (Pa.) Patriot-News reported Thursday.

Sica denied a personal relationship with the late Russell Bufalino, an organized crime boss, despite pictures and letters showing otherwise.

The grand jury in the DeNaples case saw photographs showing Bufalino attending Sica's ordination and a 1982 letter in which Sica pleaded to Pennsylvania Gov. Dick Thornburgh to mediate on Bufalino's behalf following the latter's arrest, the Patriot-News said.

A district attorney in the case said Sica made unspecified threats against arresting officers.

"This is a deeply distressing development," said Bill Genello, a spokesman for Sica's diocese. "It is understood that Father Sica is presumed innocent and he will have his day in court to answer the charge against him."

Officials scheduled a Jan. 25 preliminary hearing for Sica's case.