Plea expected in priest's drug case

[Ian David]

By Tom Beyerlein
Dayton Daily News

Drug charges in Northern Kentucky against a Roman Catholic priest from the Archdiocese of Cincinnati probably will not result in jail time, the assistant prosecutor in the case said Tuesday.

Clad in a tropical shirt and casual pants, the Rev. Thomas Gaeke, 58, of Tampa, Fla., entered not guilty pleas Tuesday in Kenton Circuit Court in Covington to a felony charge of crack cocaine possession and a misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia.

Circuit Court Judge Steven Jaeger set a May 23 trial date, but attorneys for both sides said they expect the case to be resolved by a plea agreement.

<snip>

Gaeke, who is free on bond, and his attorney, Harry Hellings of Covington, declined to comment after the court appearance. Ordained in 1975, Gaeke has been on medical leave from the Archdiocese of Cincinnati since 2000. Prior to that, he served at St. Mary Church for eight years and at Holy Family Church for five years. Both are in Dayton.

More:
http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070321/NEWS01/703210365