Police not investigating Catholic priest placed on leave after allegation surfaces

Leave of absence comes two days before principal at same parish is found dead at park.

Three area police departments said they have not been asked to investigate allegations against a local priest who was put on leave by the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.

Father Anthony Cutcher of St. Peter Catholic Church in Huber Heights was placed on leave Monday after an allegation surfaced against him, the Archdiocese of Cincinnati said Thursday.

Police in Huber Heights, Montgomery and Miami counties told the Dayton Daily News they have not been asked to investigate the allegation involving Cutcher.

“The Pastoral Center of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati recently received an allegation regarding Fr. Cutcher and has begun investigating it. By standard policy, Fr. Cutcher will remain on leave of absence pending the outcome of the investigation,” the archdiocese said in a statement. “Please keep Fr. Cutcher in your prayers.”

In his absence, the archdiocese named the Rev. John Tonkin, dean of the Dayton North deanery, as parochial administrator of Pastoral Region XII, which includes St. Peter, Our Lady of the Rosary, Holy Cross and St. Adalbert parishes.

A spokesman for the archdiocese said they had no further details to release at this time about the allegation.

The investigation comes as Ron Albino, principal at St. Peter School in Huber Heights, was found dead Wednesday morning in a vehicle at Charleston Falls in Miami County. His death has been ruled a suicide, according to the Miami County Coroner’s Office.

“Please pray for our school and parish community and for the family and friends of our beloved principal, Mr. Albino. We will miss his stories and anecdotes, his jovial greetings and willingness to help anyone in need,” the school in a statement on its website.

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