Washington: An Indian priest has pleaded guilty to the charges of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old American girl in the US state of Minnesota in 2005.

Rev Joseph Palanivel Jeyapaul, 60, was extradited to the US last November from India in connection with the case and could face up to 15 years in prison with sentencing scheduled for June 15. Jeyapaul had fled to southern India in September 2005 after he was accused of molesting the girl.