Father Jean Gregoire de la Trinite, who claims to be the true Roman Catholic Pope, turned himself into police in St. Jerome on Thursday to begin a two-year prison sentence for the forcible detention of three children.
Two years ago, Gregoire was freed on $50,000 bail, pending an appeal of his conviction on charges of concealing the children of Bill and Carmen Currier, former members of Gregoire's Apostles of infinite Love sect.
Gregoire, a native Quebecer, whose real name is Gaston Tremblay, claimed in court that he didn't know where the children were when police with an order granting custody to Mr. Currier raided the mountain-top monastery, 100 kilometers north of here.
Gregoire was also convicted of contempt of court for not turning the children over to their father.
On Wednesday, the Supreme Court of Canada refused to allow the appeal by the 51-year-old leader of the breakaway Roman Catholic sect.
The Curriers entered the monastery in 1970.
Currier left the order in 1973, but his more devout wife remained there with the children. In an effort to get his children out, Currier applied for and got a divorce and then began court action to secure custody of the children.
Police found only one child when they raided the monastery with helicopters and paddy wagons.
Ms. Currier is now believed to be living in Toronto with the two other children.
