LANSING — A former Upper Peninsula priest previously charged in Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s ongoing clergy abuse investigation appeared in court last week.

Gary Jacobs, 75, a former priest in Ontonagon and Dickinson counties, faces a total of 10 criminal sexual conduct charges in five cases. He was arrested in January in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he lived.

Multiple motion hearings have concluded in Jacobs’ cases, including a Walker hearing on Friday in which a request to suppress the priest’s confession was denied in Ontonagon County Circuit Court. In addition, a request to break up the four cases in Ontonagon County into two trials was granted, as was a motion to let in all the proposed other acts witnesses, which allows witnesses to testify in both cases in Ontonagon County.

Jacobs is scheduled to appear in Ontonagon County Circuit Court on Dec. 18 for a pretrial hearing before Judge Michael Pope.

Jacobs is also scheduled for a pretrial conference by telephone on Jan. 4, 2021 in Dickinson County Circuit Court, with Judge Christopher Ninomiya presiding over that case.

“The work of our clergy abuse investigation team has been critical in moving cases forward, bringing us that much closer to justice,” Nessel said. “My office remains committed to carefully reviewing all credible allegations of sexual abuse on behalf of all victims who come forward to tell their story.”