Alaska monk accused of child sexual abuse once stayed at Phoenix monastery, officials said

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PHOENIX - A monk associated with the Russian Orthodox Church turned himself into police in Kodiak to report that he had sexually abused an 8-year-old child, according to the Alaska Department of Law, which said he arrived to make the report accompanied by a priest and a parent of the child.

According to a Department of Law statement released on Oct. 8, Evan P. Nicolai turned himself in to police in Kodiak on Oct. 2. At the time, he was accompanied by the alleged victim's parent and a priest of the Kodiak Russian Orthodox Church.

Nicolai faces a felony sexual abuse of a minor charge, an online court records system shows.

"If convicted at trial, Mr. Nicolai faces up to 99 years of imprisonment," read a portion of the statement.

The public defender agency, which the records system shows is defending the man, didn’t immediately return a phone message seeking comment.

Officials with the Department of Law said as a monk, Nicolai was allowed to stay at church-provided housing.

"Police learned that Mr. Nicolai had stayed in Alaska at the following Russian Orthodox locations: Anchorage, Bethel, Eklutna, Homer, and Kaktovik, as well as a monastery about an hour outside of Phoenix, Arizona," read a portion of the statement.

A cash bond of $50,000 was set for Nicolai, according to officials with the Department of Law.

The Associated Press (AP) contributed to this report.