An anti-gay priest in Oregon is under investigation after he was found to be lying about a hidden camera found in the men’s bathroom at his church.

A camera was found at waist-level next to a toilet in a bathroom at St. Francis in Sherwood, Oregon, by a 15 year-old parishioner after the boy noticed an electrical outlet which was seemingly out of place. On further investigation, the boy discovered that it was in fact a camera disguised as an outlet. The teen reported the camera to Father Ysrael Bien, who assured the boy and his parents that police would be called immediately, the Oregonian reports.

However, instead of calling police as promised, the priest placed the camera in a desk drawer and continued to string the family along for several weeks, telling them police had been called and were investigating. When the parents enquired about an update two weeks later – the priest tried to shake them off with an elaborate story via Facebook message.

The message read:

Sherwood police did not have enough to go with from the device. Two sets of fingerprints were found: mine and, by process of elimination, (your son’s). … They were hoping to find a third set of fingerprints to lead them to the perpetrator. But there was none. Not surprising because they said it is consistent with the modus operandi of the person they have in mind. The device – same style and model – is ‘affiliated’ with this person. Unfortunately, these are ‘circumstantial (sic). Because of insufficient and inconclusive evidence, they are not able to place the person they have in mind in our church bathroom. …

Fortunately, however, other police departments are pursuing the same person for another on-going case investigation (I am not sure if it is a crime of a similar nature or different and bigger). Happily, this is where they are confident they are going to get him. So, officially Sherwood police investigation of our incident is over. But other police departments (Tigard or Beaverton, I’m not exactly sure) are currently pursuing the person they think is also our perpetrator …

The father of the teen then became suspicious, and asked the church for a police report. Failing that, he would go directly to the police department and ask for the report.

This is when Father Ysrael’s story lost credibility. The priest then admitted that he had not called the police, because the camera had gone missing and was afraid of the ramifications of it disappearing while it was in his possession.

Police have issued search warrants on the church, on Bien’s home, car and computers, the Oregonian reports. He has been placed on leave by the Archdiocese of Portland.