In a media release issued by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati, it was announced that seminarian Broderick Witt has been taken into custody by the Hamilton County Sheriff's Department. The release, written by Father Anthony Brausch, Rector of Mount St. Mary's Seminary & School of Theology, stated that Witt would be charged with pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor.

According to the release, officers of the Hamilton County Sheriff's Department visited the seminary grounds to interview Witt and execute a search warrant on his living quarters. In response to the incident, Father Brausch stated, "Mr. Witt is no longer a student of this institution, nor a seminarian for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati."

The release also emphasized the strict policies and precautions in place at the seminary and the Archdiocese of Cincinnati to prevent anyone from possessing or accessing such material. It was mentioned that the discovery of such material would result in immediate termination or dismissal and notification of law enforcement.

Father Brausch reiterated the commitment of the seminary and the Archdiocese to cooperate fully with law enforcement and the prosecutor's office. He stated, "We are committed to doing all we possibly can to remove the scourge of child exploitation and abuse from our Church and society."

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati, with around 435,000 Catholics, is the 51st largest Catholic diocese in the country. It boasts the fifth largest Catholic school system in terms of enrollment, with nearly 40,000 students. The Archdiocese encompasses a 19-county territory, including 208 canonical parishes and 113 Catholic primary and secondary schools.

Jennifer Schack, Director of Media Relations for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, provided contact information for further inquiries.