CLINTONVILLE, WI – A Madison-area priest was arrested in Clintonville after allegedly attempting to meet with a 14-year-old girl, but was actually messaging a police officer.
Andrew Showers, 37, exchanged explicit messages and photos with what he thought was a teenage girl named “Abby.” The profile, however, was created by Clintonville police as part of an undercover investigation.
Police say Showers was taken into custody Sunday evening and later booked into the Waupaca County Jail. He faces possible charges of child enticement, using a computer to facilitate a child sex crime, and attempted second-degree sexual assault of a child.
Clintonville Police Chief Craig Freitag said the investigation is ongoing, noting, “There’s a lot of information to go through and working with neighboring agencies or statewide agencies and collecting information and reviewing information.”
The Catholic Diocese of Madison said there had been no previous allegations of misconduct against Showers. In a statement, the diocese pledged cooperation with investigators, adding, “Additional information will be shared as it becomes available, We ask for prayers for all those involved.”
Ordained in 2017, Showers has served in several parishes, including All Saints in Berlin, Our Lady of the Lake in Green Lake, and churches in Madison, Waunakee, Clinton, and Wisconsin Dells.
The Waupaca County District Attorney’s Office is reviewing investigative reports and will decide on formal charges.
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