Published: November 20, 2009 07:30 am      

Ex-priest jailed in sex misconduct case

LUDINGTON, Mich. (AP) -- A Catholic priest who served churches in western Michigan has been sentenced to six months in jail for sexual misconduct.

The Rev. Johnson Jeyabel Pappusamy (pap-uh-SAH-me), former pastor of St. Mary Catholic Church in Custer and St. Jerome Catholic Church in Scottville, pleaded guilty Oct. 21 to fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct.

The Ludington Daily News reports he was sentenced Wednesday in Mason County Circuit Court.

Judge Richard Cooper ordered Pappusamy to serve 30 days immediately and the rest of the jail time at the court's discretion.

The 38-year-old Pappusamy admitted improperly touching a man while shopping in a local department store last February. He resigned from the churches after police began investigating.