Miami

Archdiocese Reacts After Priests Arrested for Alleged Sex Acts in Miami Beach

Police said the acts were happening in full view of the public passing by on Ocean Drive, and the car did not have tinted windows

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Two priests bonded out of jail after they were accused of having sex in a car during the daytime on Ocean Drive. NBC 6’s Laura Rodriguez reports.

Two priests were arrested after allegedly performing sexual acts on each other in broad daylight on Ocean Drive in Miami Beach, police said.

According to police, they received a call of lewd and lascivious behavior on Monday at 3:20 p.m. on the 1300 block of Ocean Drive.

When police arrived, they found Edwin Giraldo-Cortez, 30, and Diego Berrio, 39, performing sex acts on each other. An officer asked the passenger to lower his window when he noticed one of the passengers had his penis exposed.

Police said the acts were happening in full view of the public passing by on Ocean Drive, and the car did not have tinted windows.

Two Priests Arrested for Alleged Sex Acts in Car on Ocean Drive

The two men were arrested. Berrio is being charged with lewd and lascivious behavior and was held on $250 bond. Giraldo-Cortez is being charged with indecent exposure and lewd and lascivious behavior and was held on $1,500 bond.

Both men bonded out of jail by Tuesday night. Attorney information wasn't available.

Priests Caught Having Sex Inside Car on Ocean Drive

The Archdiocese of Chicago said that Berrio is a pastor of Misión San Juan Diego in Arlington Heights, Ill., and Giraldo-Cortez was an extern priest from Soacha, Colombia, who served at St. Aloysius Parish in Chicago for one month.

In a statement, the Archdiocese of Chicago said Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, who serves as the ninth archbishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago, immediately removed Berrio from ministry and withdrew his ability to minister.

Two Priests Arrested for Sex Acts in Car on Ocean Drive

The Archdiocese of Chicago also said it has told Giraldo-Cortez's home diocese in Soacha that Giraldo-Cortez will "not be granted additional faculties to minister."

"It is our responsibility to ensure those who serve our people are fit for ministry. We take this matter very seriously and will provide updates as they become available," the Archdiocese of Chicago wrote.

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