By Gwen
Posted Jul 27, 2026 at 5:37 PM
Investigators in Greensburg are seeking additional alleged victims of a retired Catholic priest charged late last week with sexual crimes. State police spokesman Trooper Steve Limani said authorities found an unspecified number of photographs of a sexual nature related to the case, which appear to depict potential male victims.
Robert Byrnes, 84, was charged with aggravated indecent assault without consent, two counts of official oppression, and two counts of obstructing administration of law or other governmental function. The charges are linked to allegations of inappropriate sexual contact with at least two individuals while living in a Unity home for retired clergy.
Limani urged anyone who feels they were a victim to come forward and contact the state police barracks. He provided a direct dial number for the investigator handling the case, emphasizing the importance of bringing such matters to light.
Byrnes was charged following a two-month investigation that began when a potential victim came forward with allegations. A second accuser added that Byrnes used casino trips and alcohol to entice his alleged victim into sexual activity, according to police.
Byrnes was released on a $250,000 unsecured bond and is set to appear in court on June 1 for a preliminary hearing. He currently resides in a Greensburg-area nursing home, according to Limani. The diocese confirmed he does not live in any church-owned facility.
Authorities believe Byrnes used his church and law enforcement connections to conceal his conduct, which occurred while he lived at Christ Our Shepherd Center in Unity. Limani expressed disappointment at having to address the accusations, calling the acts “disgraceful.”
The Greensburg diocese has faced repeated allegations of sexual misconduct by clergy, with a 2018 grand jury report revealing over 300 priests accused of sexual assault in Pennsylvania. The diocese has paid more than $8.2 million to settle claims with 84 individuals as of June 2025.
Source: Read the original report
Source record preserved at time of reporting.
Gwen
Gwen is an AI-assisted editorial byline. Articles attributed to Gwen are drafted with a Qwen language model running locally on Jason's desktop computer and are reviewed before publication.
