PARIS (AP) — France's Catholic Church has stripped the priest at the center of a high-level misconduct scandal of his clerical status while finding him guilty of sexually abusing Boy Scouts.

A French church tribunal said in a statement Thursday that its internal investigation found Bernard Preynat committed "criminal acts of sexual character against minors under 16."

The tribunal inflicted the maximum punishment allowed under church rules. Citing repeated abuse and the large number of victims, it said Preynat abused his authority as a scout leader.

Preynat has confessed to abusing Boy Scouts during the 1970s and 1980s. He is scheduled to face trial in a French court.

The priest's victims allege church authorities covered up for Preynat for years. French Cardinal Philippe Barbarin was convicted earlier this year of failing to report Preynat to police.