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WARREN – The misdemeanor procuring and public-indecency case of Anthony Spinosa, former chorbishop of the Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon in North Jackson, was reset Tuesday in Warren Municipal Court for another final pretrial hearing at 10:15 a.m. Nov. 5.
The parties have met once per month on the case since Spinosa was charged in August, but it had to be reset again to give the prosecution time to make contact with the victims and witnesses in the case.
During Tueday’s hearing, Judge Patricia Knepp said body camera video and dash cam video from the case has been provided to the defense, which was a holdup in the case last month.
Spinosa, 75, is accused of engaging in sexual activity with Kenneth Kopp, 53, July 31 in Perkins Park. A caller told police that he and his wife saw two men in the park about 5:40 p.m. engaging in the conduct. The two men “acknowledged the caller and his wife’s presence,” a Warren police report states.
Spinosa is free on bond.
Police arrived and questioned Kopp, who denied anything was going on, and Spinosa, who denied being with Kopp or knowing him. Spinosa was allowed to leave, but Kopp was taken into custody and later taken to the Trumbull County jail.
Kopp has his next pretrial in the case at 1:30 p.m. Monday.
Kopp was charged with misdemeanor public indecency and possession of drug paraphernalia, both low-level misdemeanors.
Spinosa was relieved of his duties with the basilica a couple of weeks after he was charged.