In a recent interview, a former church leader from New Orleans admits to misconduct involving minors, unveiling a dark chapter in his career. Lawrence Hecker, now 91 years old, disclosed that he had sexually abused or harassed several teenagers during his time as an ordained priest, revealing this information during an interview with CBS affiliate WWL-TV and the Guardian newspaper. The confession came to light when Hecker's 1999 statement to New Orleans church leaders was brought up during the interview. Hecker, who became a priest in 1958, exploited his position of authority over the years to engage in these wrongful acts, as revealed in a timeline compiled by WWL-TV. Although reports of his actions reached New Orleans archbishop Philip Hannan in 1988, Hecker evaded consequences by convincing Hannan that he would not repeat such behavior. It was not until 1999, when further allegations emerged against Hecker, that he was sent to a psychiatric treatment facility outside of Louisiana. Following a diagnosis of pedophilia, the facility advised that he be prohibited from working with minors or vulnerable individuals, as stated in a personnel file reviewed by WWL-TV. In his 1999 statement Hecker admitted to committing "overtly sexual acts" with three underage boys and maintaining close relationships with four others until the 1980s. Video evidence captured Hecker's admission during the interview with WWL-TV. Although Hecker has never faced criminal prosecution, the New Orleans district attorney's office conducted an investigation. Despite his retirement in 2002, the archdiocese continued to provide Hecker with retirement benefits until 2020. The fallout from Hecker's actions led to out-of-court settlements totaling at least $332,500 paid by the archdiocese between 2010 and 2020 to individuals who came forward with allegations of sexual abuse by Hecker. These revelations only became public in 2018 when a list of credibly accused predators within the Catholic Church was released. The Orleans Parish District Attorney's Office has expressed its commitment to pursuing justice for the victims.