GARY JACOBS

IRON MOUNTAIN — A former Upper Peninsula priest accused of sexually abusing teenagers in the 1980s pleaded guilty Friday in Dickinson County Circuit Court.

Gary Jacobs, 75, was convicted of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, according to a news release from Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.

Jacobs pleaded guilty and was convicted on four counts of criminal sexual conduct in Ontonagon County in April.

The pleas were part of an agreement spanning both counties. Jacobs, who had been living in New Mexico when charged, will serve between eight and 15 years in prison on each count, which will run concurrently. Additionally, Jacobs will be subject to lifetime sex offender registration as well as tier II registration; undergo sex offender counseling; and be electronically monitored the remainder of his life.

All of Jacob’s victims — those involved in the charged cases and those who came forward since — can speak at sentencing, the news release stated.

Sentencing is set for May 25 in Ontonagon County and July 2 in Dickinson County.

“I am proud of the work done by our clergy abuse team to reach this plea agreement,” Nessel said. “None of this would be possible without the courageous victims who have been willing to share their stories in order to achieve justice.”