Raton clergyman accused of abusing 14-year-old.

The Rev. George Silva, 73, arrested by the FBI last week in Raton, appeared in U.S. District Court Monday on charges of having sexual relations with a 14-year-old boy, was placed on house arrest at La Posada Halfway House in Albuquerque, KRQE-TV Channel 13 is reporting on its Web site.

Silva had been pastor of St. Patrick/St. Joseph Catholic Church in Raton before being put on administrative leave last June after a sexual misconduct allegation, according to a story in the Albuquerque Journal.

Silva was indicted last Wednesday by a federal grand jury on four criminal counts in connection with transporting a boy under the age of 16 from New Mexico to France and Portugal for criminal and illicit sexual activity in those countries, according to The Associated Press.

The indictment was unsealed on Friday, the AP reported.

An FBI agent testified Monday that the church learned in March 2005 that Silva had been spending a lot of time with a 14-year-old boy and met at least three times with Silva about the matter, Channel 13 reported.

Silva allegedly continued to see the boy, was moved to Albuquerque, but took the boy on a pilgrimage to France and Portugal, Channel 13 said of the agent's testimony.

Silva's attorneys argued that the suspended priest ought to be put in a halfway house to await trial on the charges rather than be incarcerated because of his age, ill health and lack of resources, Channel 13 reported.

Silva apparently had open-heart surgery following his return from Europe, the station reported.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Richard Puglisi ordered Silva to the halfway house, that he have no contact with the alleged victim or with anyone under the age of 18 and that he surrender his passport, KOB-TV Channel 4 reported.