Edward Avery, 69, a defrocked Philadelphia priest, pleaded guilty Thursday to involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and conspiracy to endanger the welfare of a child.
He was immediately sentenced to 2½ to five years in prison and was ordered to surrender within 10 days.
The charge stems from Avery's abuse of a boy at St. Jerome's Parish in Northeast Philadelphia.
The guilty plea comes days before the start of a landmark priest abuse trial in Philadelphia.
Two other church officials will still go on trial.
One is Monsignor William Lynn, the first U.S. church official ever charged with endangering children for allegedly failing to oust accused predators from the priesthood.
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