A priest in residence at the Glenmary Missioners campus in Fairfield voluntarily turned himself in to the FBI in Cincinnati Thursday after being indicted by a federal grand jury the day before on a federal child sex charge.

The Rev. Robert Frank Poandl, 71, was indicted on a single count of transportation of a minor across state lines for illicit purposes. The alleged crime is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

He is being held without bond at the Butler County Jail pending a detention hearing that has been scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Monday at the federal courthouse in Cincinnati.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Muncy told U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie Bowman that Poandl had transported a 10-year old boy from Cincinnati to West Virginia in August 1991 where he is alleged to have sexually assaulted the child, and that he has substantial international travel and connections across the country which makes him a flight risk. Muncy also told the court that the crime was not disclosed until the victim came forward, according to the FBI’s Cincinnati field office.

Glenmary Missioners released a statement on its website that said the charges are related to a June 2009 accusation of sexual misconduct with a minor said to have occurred in 1991 in Spencer, W.Va. Those charges against Father Poandl were dismissed by a West Virginia court in August 2010 and his record was expunged.

The website also said Poandl, who was travelling with a fellow Glenmarian, voluntarily turned himself in to the FBI after being notified by Glenmary’s president, the Rev. Chet Artysiewicz, of the warrant for his arrest.

Glenmary also received a subpoena, via the U.S. mail, on the afternoon of Nov. 14 that ordered the release of documents and other information pertaining to Poandl. The subpoena contained no information regarding what Poandl was being accused of or charged with, the website said.

Artysiewicz learned on the afternoon of Nov. 14 that the requested documents were to have been delivered to the court that morning. Glenmary’s lawyers, after consulting with the U.S. attorney’s office, have determined that Glenmary has until Dec. 19 to produce the documents.

“We have just learned of these charges today,” said Artysiewicz, “and we are working to fully comply with the subpoena and cooperate with investigators.” He added that since this is an ongoing investigation, Glenmary cannot comment further on the investigation or the charges, the website said.

On Feb. 11, 2012, Poandl was relieved of his ministerial duties as pastor of Glenmary’s missions in Claxton, Pembroke and Sand Hill, Ga., following an allegation of sexual misconduct. Since that time, he has been living under a safety plan at Glenmary’s residence Fairfield and has not been functioning as a Roman Catholic priest.

The policy of the Glenmary Missioners is to set up a safety plan when someone is accused of sexual misconduct, said Jean Bach, communications director. Bach said the plan puts certain standards in place for that individual and make sure that person is never off campus. One provision includes having a fellow Glenmarian priest accompany that person if they should need to go off campus to make sure his whereabouts are known at all times.

A number of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies from Ohio, Michigan and West Virginia assisted in the recent investigation

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims.

Dan Andriacco, spokesman for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, said because Poandl is a Glenmary Missioners priest, he is not under the authority of Archbishop Dennis Schnurr.

“While we are always sorry to hear of accusations against a priest, this is also an occasion to remind people to report any allegations of child abuse to civil authorities and to the Archdiocese,” Andriacco said.