A Catholic priest twice convicted of possessing child pornography in Merced County — and recently released from prison — has continued to receive checks from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno since he was first arrested nearly five years ago.

Father Robert Gamel, 69, was the former head of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Los Banos.

Gamel has remained on paid leave since Aug. 15, 2014 — a day after allegations surfaced involving a teenage church member.

He is the diocese’s only priest with a criminal conviction who is still on paid administrative leave.

The church can’t go into details on its investigation, adding that the process was interrupted with the unexpected death of the diocese’s judicial canon lawyer.

Full story at Merced Sun-Star.