Young Adults and Adolescents

At Risk of Sexual Abuse by Clergy

Philip Jenkins is Distinguished Professor of History and Religious Studies at Penn State and author of Pedophiles and Priests: Anatomy of a Contemporary Crisis (1996).

Jenkins states in his essay, "The myth of the ‘pedophile priest,’" published in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (March 3, 2002):

The vast majority of clergy misconduct cases … involve priests who have been sexually active with a person … 16 or 17 years old, or even older.

A Vatican spokesman recently reiterated this point, clarifying the view from the top: it's the teens who comprise the majority of those victimized when they are minors. In an article by Hilary Whiteman, "Gay outrage over cardinal's child abuse comment," CNN (April 14 2010), Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi stated:

… just 10 percent of the abuse cases against priests that were reviewed by the Vatican constituted ‘pedophilia in the strict sense.’ The rest were cases of abuse against teenagers …

Link to alphabetical list of news stories of alleged abuse

Link to news about the clergy sexual abuse crisis in Europe and around the world

Link to news articles on statutes of limitations

Young Women and Girls At Risk

Jennifer Medina. "Los Angeles Archdiocese to dismiss priest over admission of molesting girl." New York Times (February 12, 2011).

Martin P. O'Loghlen, was once a leader in his religious order and was appointed to an archdiocesan sexual abuse advisory board, although officials at both the order and the archdiocese knew at the time about his admission of sexual abuse and addiction. … Father O'Loghlen had sex on several occasions with Julie Malcolm in the 1960s while she was a student at Bishop Amat High School in nearby La Puente … O'Loghlen became the provincial leader in the western region for the religious order of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary …

Mary Ormsby. "Church scandal's next wave: Abused girls." The Star Canada (April 25, 2010).

"That is so prevalent, it happens all the time," [Patrick Wall, California-based expert on Catholic clergy abuse] said of the abortion runs, which in part accounts for his belief that teenaged girls are the silent majority of priest-related sexual abuse.

The former priest [Patrick Wall] said the church is particularly vicious with women, deploying its ‘whore defence’ to paint schoolgirls as harlots and intimidate them from pursuing criminal and civil complaints.

Pat Wingert and Barbara Kantrowitz in a recent article ask: "What about the girls? Boys aren't the only victims of the Catholic Church's sex-abuse scandal." Newsweek (April 15, 2010).

[As explained by] Barbara Dorris, a victim of priest abuse as well as the national outreach director for SNAP: "In part because of sexism and homophobia, journalists, police, prosecutors, attorneys, and sometimes even parents feel even more outraged when a boy is sexually abused by a powerful man than when a girl is assaulted, and are thus more apt to take action, pursue charges, file lawsuits, and talk publicly."

Thomas Farragher and Matt Carroll discuss numerous cases in which the "Church board dismissed accusations by females" in their 2003 article of that title in the Boston Globe (February 7, 2003).

"It's almost a free pass when it comes to women and young girls," said Roderick MacLeish Jr., a lawyer representing Shanley's alleged victims.

Jane Lampman identified the widespread abuse of girls and women at the time of the US clergy abuse crisis in 2002: "A wider circle of clergy abuse: As US bishops meet, attention is drawn to female victims of priests." Christian Science Monitor (June 14, 2002).

For girls and women, the challenge of coming forward is heightened by the inclination of the church and society to blame females for abuse. "Church officials historically have been much quicker to blame girls than boys. When women come forward the response has been, ‘Well, what did you do to seduce them?’" says Jeff Anderson, a Minnesota attorney specializing in clergy abuse cases who in just the past two months of scandal revelations has been contacted by 50 females alleging abuse by priests.

Seminarians At Risk

Some young adult victims were in the midst of seminary training to become ministers themselves when the alleged abuse occurred.

Paul Vitello. "A Monsignor is defrocked for abusing a student." New York Times (December 17, 2010).
The monsignor, Charles M. Kavanagh, 73, has denied the charges, which were brought against him by a former student at the former Cathedral Preparatory Seminary in Manhattan. … Daniel Donohue, 46, the former seminarian who accused Monsignor Kavanagh of making unwanted advances and touching him inappropriately in the 1980s … first took his accusations to the archdiocese and the Manhattan district attorney's office in 2002.

At Risk in Many Denominations

Teens and young adults of either gender can be sexually violated by clergy. As news reports of alleged abuse illustrate, this problem occurs across denominations.

Articles on insurance companies that provide liability coverage for churches shed further light on the prevalence of sexual abuse across denominations, as well as the difficulty of compiling data on the actual number of cases.

Pat Wingert. "Mean Men. The priesthood is being cast as the refuge of pederasts. In fact, priests seem to abuse children at the same rate as everyone else." Newsweek (April 8, 2010).
… "I can tell you without hesitation that we have seen cases in many religious settings, from traveling evangelists to mainstream ministers to rabbis and others," [said] Ernie Allen, president of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Since the mid-1980s, insurance companies have offered sexual misconduct coverage as a rider on liability insurance, and their own studies indicate that Catholic churches are not higher risk than other congregations. "We don't see vast difference in the incidence rate between one denomination and another," says Sarah Buckley, assistant vice president of corporate communications [at Guide One Center for Risk Management] …

Rose French. "Three insurers shed light on Protestant church sex abuse." Houston Chronicle (June 14, 2007).
Joe Trull, editor of Christian Ethics Today and retired ethics professor at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary … believes [the cases cited in the 2007 Houston Chronicle article] are just the "tip of the iceberg" because churches don't have to report abuse cases to the registry and aren't likely to.

Michael Paulson of the Boston Globe reported in a 2002 article that sexual abuse of children and teens occurs across numerous denominations. "All faiths question handling of abuse: Debate over celibacy as factor is rancorous." Boston Globe (March 13, 2002).

The scourge of clergy sexual abuse has afflicted virtually every religious denomination: In recent years rabbis, ministers, and gurus have all been charged with molesting children. Hare Krishna temples are filing for bankruptcy because of the anticipated cost of settling abuse litigation, and the Jehovah's Witnesses are facing a first round of lawsuits.

Philip Jenkins, Distinguished Professor of History and Religious Studies at Penn State, wrote Pedophiles and Priests: Anatomy of a Contemporary Crisis (1996). In his essay, "The myth of the ‘pedophile priest’", published in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (March 3, 2002), Jenkins states:

Literally every denomination and faith tradition has its share of abuse cases, and some of the worst involve non-Catholics. Every mainline Protestant denomination has had scandals aplenty, as have Pentecostals, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, Buddhists, Hare Krishnas, and the list goes on.

At Risk Around the World

Countries across Europe from Austria, Germany and Ireland to Denmark, Italy, Norway and the Netherlands are currently experiencing a "clergy sexual abuse crisis" similar to that instigated by reports that appeared in the Boston Globe in 2002. In the years following the Globe's expose of clergy sexual abuse in the Catholic church, cases of abuse have been reported across a spectrum of denominations around the country and around the world. Allegations of abuse have also been reported from Canada and Latin America. Many of the international cases being reported in early 2010 involve young children as well as adolescents, seminarians and young adults.

Professor Marci Hamilton, Paul R. Verkuil Chair in Public Law at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law of Yeshiva University, argues in a recent essay that the United States and the United Nations should act more forcefully in response to the allegations of child sex abuse being reported around the world.

Marci Hamilton. "Learning from the Vatican's problems: What the U.S. must do to protect children now." The Huffington Post (March 31, 2010).
… the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child must address the worldwide human rights abuses by and within the Roman Catholic organization being documented on a daily basis …

The Case of Cardinal Bernard Law

Lisa Wangsness. "Rev. Coyne, former spokesman to Cardinal Law, gains promotion." Boston Globe (January 14, 2011).
Pope Benedict XVI has named the Rev. Christopher Coyne, a former spokesman for Cardinal Bernard F. Law and pastor of St. Margaret Mary in Westwood, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.

Barbie Latza Nadeau. "The Cardinal who got away." The Daily Beast (May 11, 2010).
Cardinal Law is very much the poster priest for the sex abuse scandal that is rocking the Roman Catholic Church right now. He resigned in 2002 after admitting he did nothing to stop the rampant sexual abuse in the Boston diocese. But rather than hiding away in a dark monastery to repent, Cardinal Law is instead an exalted member of Vatican inner circles. He was one of nine chosen prelates to preside over the funeral of John Paul II in 2005 …

Allegations of Sexual Abuse of Children and Teens Around the World

For background information and news articles from around the world regarding clergy sexual exploitation of adults, see Boundary Violations Without Borders.

"Vangheluwe niet langer welkom in Brugge." Het Nieuwsblad (April 16, 2011).

Leo Cendrowicz. "Just a ‘game’: Outrage as shamed Belgian priest downplays child abuse." TIME (April 15, 2011).
Looking relaxed and sometimes smiling, Vangheluwe described the sexual abuse as no more than ‘a little piece of intimacy.’ … Despite his admission, Vangheluwe does not face criminal prosecution, because the abuses occurred decades ago, beyond Belgium's statute of limitations for sex abuse.

"Meerderheid van pastoors staat niet achter L�onard." De Standaard (Belgium) (February 19, 2011).
Verder peilde de enqu�te naar een eventueel ‘Vangheluwe-effect’ op het kerkbezoek.

Alexei Barrionuevo and Pascale Bonnefoy. "Vatican rules against Chilean priest." New York Times (February 18, 2011).
The ruling, announced by Santiago Archbishop Ricardo Ezzati, said Father Karadima, 80, would be relocated to a place where he will have no contact with his former parishioners … He had trained five bishops and dozens of priests, acting as a spiritual leader and father figure for young men who later accused him of molesting them.

"Ex sacerdote boliviano condenado a 22 a�os de prisi�n por violar a 19 menores ." TeleSUR (Bolivia) (December 26, 2010).
El Tribunal Tercero de la Corte Superior de la ciudad boliviana de Cochabamba (centro) conden� a 22 a�os de prisi�n al ex sacerdote Jos� Mamani Ochoa, de 50 a�os de edad por la violaci�n de 19 ni�os y j�venes de un albergue ubicado en esa localidad de pa�s, inform� este viernes la prensa local.

"Defrocked Bolivian priest gets 22 years for sexual abuse." Latin American Herald Tribune (December 26, 2010).
Fifty-year-old Jose Mamani Ochoa was convicted of abusing the children aged five to 15 at the home, where he used to serve as director, and of falsifying documents, the daily Los Tiempos de Cochabamba reported Friday.

"V�ctimas y alcald�a pedir�n mayor condena para ex cura (Jos� Mamani Ochoa) ped�filo en Bolivia." El Nacional (25 diciembre 2010).
Mamani dirig�a un hogar donde cometi� las violaciones a menores de entre cinco y quince a�os, y adem�s falsific� documentos para simular permisos como tutor.

"Vatican shielded Dublin priest (Tony Walsh) until he raped boy in pub, inquiry says." New York Times (December 17, 2010).
The Vatican tried to stop church leaders here from defrocking a particularly dangerous pedophile priest … The investigators concluded that Mr. Walsh raped and molested hundreds of boys and girls while serving as a priest in Dublin from 1978 to 1996.

Rob Kievit. "Dutch bishops destroy child sex evidence." Radio Nederland Wereldomroep (Radio Netherlands Worldwide) (December 17, 2010).
Dutch bishops destroyed incriminating evidence of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. Secret archives of the diocese of Den Bosch, which showed that priests had committed abuse, were shredded.

"Panel completes investigation of abuse claims; pursues truth, healing and justice: GAMC pledges prayer, support and further preventive reforms." PCUSA News and Announcements (October 8, 2010).
Leaders of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)'s General Assembly Mission Council (GAMC) apologized to 30 people who were physically or sexually abused between 1950 and 1990 in overseas mission situations, many of which were schools or boarding facilities. Most who were abused were minors whose parents served as mission workers.

Steven Erlanger. "Belgian Church leader urged victim to be silent." The New York Times (August 29, 2010).
Cardinal Godfried Danneels, 77, who retired as the archbishop of Brussels in January after 30 years, met with the victim, now 42, and his uncle, Bishop Robert Vangheluwe, 73, on April 8 to press the victim either to accept a private apology or to wait until the bishop retired …

"Governors of Jesuit-run college facing �5m abuse claim." BBC News (August 27, 2010).
Mr Raggett claimed the late Father Michael Spencer sexually assaulted him at the Lancashire school (Preston Catholic College), sometimes several times a week.

"900 Catholic sex abuse victims come forward." Radio Nederland Wereldomroep (August 25, 2010)
More than 900 victims of sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic Church in the Netherlands have so far reported their cases to the enquiry headed by former cabinet minister Wim Deetman. Some perpetrators have also confessed, Mr Deetman told Dutch daily de Volkskrant …

"German priest charged with raping girl." BBC News (August 24, 2010).
The clergyman told the girl she would not go to heaven if she did not have sex with him, a prosecutor told AFP.

Joerg Schindler. "Ex-Leiter der Odenwaldschule: Der Mann mit den zwei Leben. [translation Ex-director of the Odenwald School: The man with two lives.]" Frankfurter Rundschau (July 10, 2010).
Der ehemalige Leiter der Odenwaldschule, Gerold Becker, ist tot. Ihm waren sexueller Missbrauch an Sch�lern vorgeworfen worden; dazu sollte ein Wahrheitsforum an der Reformschule starten.

Darren Mara. "Germany's top bishop admits mishandling sex abuse cases." Deutsche Welle (July 9, 2010).
Robert Zollitsch, the Archbishop of Freiburg and head of the German Bishops Conference, acknowledged on Friday that he should have looked more intensely into sexual abuse allegations coming from the priest's congregation in 1992. … The case largely centers on the vicar of Oberharmersbach … 17 men have come forward to the Freiburg diocese with sexual abuse allegations …

"Church of England pays damages over abuse claims." BBC News (July 7, 2010).
The Church of England has paid substantial damages to a woman who claims she was forcibly drugged and sexually abused whilst in the care of a church-run children's home.

"Catholic Church in Kenya investigates rape claims against priest." KBC (Kenya) (June 30, 2010).
The head of the Catholic Church in Kenya archbishop John Cardinal Njue on Wednesday said that investigation into alleged rape of a minor by a priest in Kisii in Nyanza province are underway.

Joep Dohmen. "Catholic nuns also abused children: So far, reports of abuse within the Church have focused almost exclusively on male clerics. But many young children also suffered at the hands of Catholic nuns." NRC Handelsblad (April 23, 2010).
The majority of the reports of abuse by nuns, however, concern sexual abuse and violence that exceed even the more lenient norms of the time. A 16-year-old nurse in training, at the Heerlen Midwives' School, was forced to have sex with a nun repeatedly over a period of eight months. When the school got wind of what was going on, the girl was expelled.

Jerome Taylor. "First Europe, then the US: Now abuse claims sweep Latin America." The Independent (April 22, 2010).
Reports of priests raping or abusing minors have now emerged in Brazil, Bolivia, Uruguay, Mexico and Chile causing growing anger in a continent that is home to nearly half the world's Catholics.

Ian MacDougall. "Norway's Catholic Church reports new abuse claims." The Guardian (April 9, 2010).
Church officials disclosed on Wednesday that the reason Eidsvig's predecessor, 58-year-old Georg Mueller, resigned in June was that he had admitted to abusing a boy about 20 years earlier, when he was a priest.

Katherine Wilton. "Quebec church says it warned about priest: Two letters sent to Bishop; Order fights back against suggestion it asked him to give a job to pedophile." Montreal Gazette (April 8, 2010).
Gaillot knew of Vadeboncoeur's conviction in Quebec, and yet appointed him priest and vicar in 1988 to a parish outside of Paris, allowing him to have regular contact with children.

"Church scandal: Paedophile monks released." New Zealand Herald (April 7, 2010).
In 2006, Bernard Kevin McGrath was found guilty of 22 charges against nine victims aged 7 to 15 … Rodger William Moloney was found guilty of seven charges of sex abuse against boys and also jailed.

Patrick Condon and Ravi Nessman. "Priest (Joseph Palanivel Jeyapaul) accused of U.S. abuse still working in India." New York Times (April 5, 2010).
A Catholic priest charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in Minnesota is working in his home diocese in India … On Dec. 21, 2006, Monsignor Victor Balke, the-then bishop of the Crookston diocese, wrote about the accusations against Jeyapaul to both Cardinal William Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and the Most Rev. Pietro Sambi, Apostolic Nuncio …

George Cini. "Pope visits Malta mid-month, sex abuse cases await." Connecticut Post (April 5, 2010).
… a response team in Malta announced that it had received 84 allegations of child abuse allegedly involving 25 Maltese priests … One prominent case in Malta involved a U.S. congressman, Rep. Mark Foley. … Anthony Mercieca, who has retired to Malta, has admitted having inappropriate encounters with Foley …

Christophe Schpoliansky. "Two French priests investigated in Church sex scandal." ABC News (April 2, 2010).
Jacques Gaimard of Rouen was placed under investigation, one step short of being formally charged … French police also questioned another priest from the same diocese of Rouen, Father Philippe Richir, priest of the Saint-Martin de Canteleu …

Tracy Wilkinson. "Latin America church treads softly: Few of the region's top Catholic clerics have addressed the sex abuse scandal assailing the Vatican." Los Angeles Times (April 2, 2010).
Some experts on the Vatican are predicting that the sex abuse scandal will spread through Latin America. … In Brazil, the world's most populous Catholic country, three priests are under police investigation … A Spanish priest working in Chile was convicted March 24 … the priest, Jose Angel Arregui, will be extradited to Spain to face trial for the alleged abuse of at least 15 minors.

Nicholas Kulish. "How a molesting case emerged decades later." New York Times (April 1, 2010).
Father Hullermann went on to molest other boys and was not formally suspended until last month, after the German church acknowledged that "bad mistakes" were made in the handling of his case.

Marci Hamilton. "Learning from the Vatican's problems: What the U.S. must do to protect children now." The Huffington Post (March 31, 2010).
In the last several weeks, Germany and Brazil have been added to the already lengthy list of countries where there is irrefutable evidence of childhood sexual abuse by Roman Catholic clergy.

Philip de Wit. "In Brazil, Catholic Church sees few scandals: Brazil is the biggest Catholic country in the world, but accusations of sexual abuse by its clergy are few and don't get much attention." NRC Handelsblad (March 31, 2010).
Fear for social repercussions and shame played an important part in the relative absence of accusations levelled at the Brazilian priesthood …

Sylvia Poggioli. "Pressure mounts for Pope amid abuse revelations." National Public Radio (March 31, 2010).
As the faithful fill churches during Holy Week, a wave of clerical sex abuse revelations is sweeping Europe. The latest allegations come from Italy, just outside Vatican walls.

"Chilean Priest Under Investigation for Sexual Abuse of Minors." Latin American Herald Tribune (March 28, 2010).
Judicial sources said that Fr. Juan Henriquez Zapata, 64, a parish priest in the city of Limache … is suspected of having paid … to practice oral sex on two minors aged 15 and 16.

Tom Kington. "Pope dismisses petty gossip of sexual abuse allegations: In Palm Sunday address pope says faith in God leads towards the courage of not allowing oneself to be intimidated." The Guardian (London) (March 28, 2010).
Father Ruggero Conti is standing trial, suspected of molesting 30 children. Interviewed by a magistrate in 2008, [bishop] Gino Reali … said he had ignored complaints "because you hear so many rumours". "If this priest is convicted, I plan to press charges against the bishop for aiding and abetting," said Nino Marazzita, a lawyer and anti-paedophilia campaigner.

Victor Simpson. "Clergy abuse threatens pope's legacy. Key question: What did pontiff know and when did he know it?" MSNBC (March 27, 2010).
… a priest in a town southeast of Paris was hit with sexual assault and child pornography charges after a 22-year-old former choirboy accused him of abuse. The French probe was opened after the man told authorities that he had been assaulted by the priest as an adult, the prosecutor of Troyes, Alex Perrin, said Friday.

Associated Press. "Sex abuse scandals threaten to taint papacy." Fox News (March 26, 2010).
… 67 former pupils at a school for the deaf in Verona described sexual abuse … at the Antonio Provolo Institute for the Deaf. [priests and brothers of the Congregation for the Company of Mary] … The bishop of Verona, Monsignor Giuseppe Zenti, initially accused the former students of lying.

Laurie Goodstein with Rachel Donadio reporting from Rome. "Warned about abuse, Vatican failed to defrock priest (Lawrence C. Murphy)." New York Times (March 24, 2010).
Father Murphy not only was never tried or disciplined by the church's own justice system, but also got a pass from the police and prosecutors who ignored reports from his victims … [Murphy] started as a teacher at St. John's School for the Deaf, in St. Francis [Wisconsin] …

Reed Stevenson. "Dutch Catholics come forward with reports of abuse." Washington Post (March 4, 2010).
About 70 reports have been filed since Friday, when a newspaper reported that three priests from the Salesian order abused pupils decades ago at a boarding school, said Pieter Kohnen of the Dutch Catholic Bishop's Conference.

Elisabetta Povoledo and Alan Cowell. "Pope urges bishops to confront sex abuse." New York Times (February 16, 2010).
The pope met individually with 24 Irish bishops after a report last November that said the church in Ireland had concealed child abuse in Dublin for almost 30 years to 2004 … The report last November horrified many people with disclosures of serial abuse by priests.

Sylvia Poggioli. "Vatican summit addresses Irish sex abuse cases." National Public Radio (February 15, 2010).
Pope Benedict XVI has summoned more than two dozen Irish bishops to the Vatican for meetings to discuss Ireland's massive clerical sex abuse scandal. … Each bishop will have seven minutes to speak directly before the pope and give his version of events.

Elisabetta Povoledo. "Pope meets Irish bishops to debate abuse scandal." New York Times (February 15, 2010).
The meetings are being held in response to a 700-page report issued in Ireland in November that accused church leaders and the police there of covering up decades of child sex abuse by priests in Dublin.

"Missbrauchsverdacht: Kirchengemeinde (Die Gemeinde der Nordelbischen Evangelisch-Lutherischen Kirche) suspendiert Kantor." Der Spiegel (February 15, 2010).
Schwere Vorwuerfe gegen den Kantor der evangelischen Kirchengemeinde Geesthacht in Schleswig-Holstein: Der 44-Jaehrige soll ein Kind sexuell missbraucht haben. translation Serious allegations against a cantor in an evangelical church in Schleswig-Holstein: the 44-year old is accused of child sexual abuse.

Nicholas Kulish. "German Church Faces Child Abuse Charges." New York Times (February 10, 2010).
… the German magazine Der Spiegel published an article last weekend that said nearly 100 clerics and laypeople had been suspected of abusing children and teenagers nationwide since 1995.

… [Last year in Ireland] a report by the Irish government detailed the physical, sexual and emotional abuse of children by Catholic priests in church-run residential schools, many of them run by the Christian Brothers. The report found that both the Catholic hierarchy and Irish state agencies covered up complaints by 320 Irish children who said they were abused by priests between 1974 and 2004.

"Die Scheinheiligen: Die Katolische Kirche und Der Sex." Der Spiegel (February 9, 2010).
Scham und Angst: Die katholische Kirche wird von einer Reihe sexueller Missbrauchsfaelle erschuettert. Betroffen sind nicht nur die Jesuitenschulen. translation Shame and fear: the Catholic church has been rocked by a series of sexual abuse scandals. Those affected include not just the Jesuit schools.

Carsten Volkery. "Kindesmissbrauch in der Kirche: Irlands Scheinheilige suchen Rat in Rom." Der Spiegel (February 9, 2010).

Cover story: "Shame and Fear: Inside Germany's Catholic Sexual Abuse Scandal." Der Spiegel (February 8, 2010).
As shocking as the revelations were, they are merely ‘the tip of the iceberg,’ says the current director of Canisius College, Father Klaus Mertes, who made public the sexual abuse of students. For decades, German bishops tried to look the other way when their pastors engaged in sexual abuse, as well as to downplay the problem by characterizing it as isolated incidents.

Allegations of Abuse and the Statute of Limitations

Back to international news reports

Link to alphabetical list of news stories of alleged abuse

Reporting Abuse

It is widely reported that victims of sexual abuse often remain silent, even for decades, about what happened to them. It is not uncommon for some victims to "find their voice" when others break their silence.

For more background articles on why victims remain silent, click here. For further information on the grooming process used by sexual predators, click here.

Peter Gelzinis. "Scott Brown played down claims of victim." Boston Herald (February 18, 2011).
Even as Lisa Allen came forward to accuse former state rep and Wareham police officer Jeff Perry of doing nothing while a fellow cop sexually assaulted her eight years ago, Brown didn't just ignore her, he pooh-poohed the story.

Scott told Lesley Stahl of 60 Minutes: "As predators do . . . he said, ‘If you tell anybody … I will kill you. I will make sure that nobody believes you.’"

Stan Finger. "Priest accused of sexual abuse served in Wichita." Wichita Eagle (May 8, 2010).
Patterson's son committed suicide in 1999 at the age of 29, shortly after confiding he had been sexually abused by their parish priest … [Patterson] said it can be difficult for victims to admit they were abused because of the shame and guilt they typically feel, as well as feeling like they were the only ones targeted.

Mary Ormsby. "Church scandal's next wave: Abused girls." The Star Canada (April 25, 2010).
Researchers say disclosure of abuse is typically delayed for about 30 years, which means women assaulted as children are just starting to come to terms with what happened.

Chiara Bonello. "More abuse victims come forward: ‘It is unfair that justice is not granted quickly’." The Malta Independent (April 24, 2010).

Susan Nielsen. "Beyond the church: Most child sex abuse never sees the light." The Oregonian (March 27, 2010).
… about 90 percent of victims don't speak out, and the reasons are as messy and common as the crimes themselves. It can take decades for victims to shake off enough of the shame to stop feeling responsible. "Denial and survival play a huge part in the reason why victims of abuse 'wait' to come forward," or never say a word, says Kristi Kernal of Beaverton, a co-founder and board member of OAASIS, Oregon Abuse Advocates and Survivors in Service.

… there are stark personal costs to coming forward. If the abuser was a family member, victims risk an ex-communication of sorts by their own family. If the abuser was a trusted coach or pastor or teacher, victims risk other forms of social exile.

Sandi Dolbee and Mark Sauer. "Some answers in sex-abuse scandal." The San Diego Union Tribune (July 22, 2007).
Why has it taken so long for people to come forward with these claims? Shame. Guilt. Fear of not being believed. … "Victims of sexual abuse, both in the church and in all of society, do not come forward until many years after they have been abused. Professionals tell us this is a common trait," said Rodrigo Valdivia … A.W. Richard Sipe, a La Jolla psychotherapist and former priest [added the observation that] many never come forward…

Differing Positions Regarding Statutes of Limitations

Tyler Whitley. "Governor signs victims' rights bills." Richmond Times-Dispatch (April 16, 2011).
"We have come to understand that most sexual violence is perpetrated by someone known to the victim, that it often takes place within relationships, and that again, while women are the predominant victims, unfortunately this violence often crosses gender lines," said Kristi VanAudenhove, co-director of the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance.

Wesley Hester. "McDonnell weighs change on filing sexual abuse lawsuits." Richmond Times-Dispatch (March 3, 2011).
The Catholic Church opposed the 20-year limit during this year's legislative session in the wake of a wave of scandals and lawsuits that last year rocked the church, the second such controversy in less than a decade. "When we talk about civil lawsuits, we're talking about not only actual perpetrators, but third parties being sued," said Jeff Caruso, executive director of the Virginia Catholic Conference. He noted that those parties could include churches, schools and nonprofit groups.

"McDonnell signs sex abuse lawsuit extension bill." WSET-TV ABC 13 In the Heart of Virginia: Lynchburg, Danville, Roanoke (March 28, 2011).
Gov. Bob McDonnell signed legislation Saturday extending the deadline to file a civil lawsuit against an attacker or an organization responsible for the assault from two years to 20 years. The Catholic Church, which faced a priest sex scandal that triggered lawsuits nationwide, lobbied hard against the extension.

Marci A. Hamilton. "The Progress We've Made -- and Haven't Yet Made -- on Child-Sex-Abuse Statutes of Limitations: 2010, the Year in Review." Findlaw.com (December 30, 2010).
The most disreputable 2010 child-sex-abuse SOL legislative ‘reform’ law in the United States was enacted by the South Dakota legislature. For years, Catholic clergy inflicted horrendous abuse against Native American children in St. Joseph Indian School.

Marci Hamilton. "The Vatican adjusts its child-sex-abuse policies again: A reminder of how statutes of limitations play a nefarious role." FindLaw (July 7, 2010).
The Church states that priests are to follow civil-law reporting statutes, but lobbies hard for priests to be exempt.

Paul Vitello. "For 5th year, child sex abuse bill dies in legislature." New York Times (June 2, 2010).
Dennis Poust, the communications director of the New York State Catholic Conference, said the vote represented an emerging consensus that time limits on legal liability were an important civil rights protection. … Since it was first introduced in the 2006-7 session, the Child Victims Act has been fervently opposed by the Catholic Church and several Orthodox Jewish groups …

Pat Gillespie. "Bill closes child sex crimes loophole: Law would hurt church, Catholic group says." News Press (May 3, 2010).
A bill awaiting Florida Gov. Charlie Crist's signature will give child sex abuse victims younger than 16 no time limits to pursue civil or criminal action. Lawmakers in Tallahassee earlier this week voted unanimously to pass House and Senate versions of a bill that eliminate statutes of limitations on filing criminal or civil actions relating to sexual battery of a child younger than 16.

Ashby Jones. "New push to give abuse victims more time to sue: Latest scandals to hit the Catholic Church ratchet up pressure on state lawmakers to extend or eliminate statutes of limitations." Wall Street Journal (April 30, 2010).
Legislatures in a handful of states, including Connecticut, Arizona, New York and Michigan, as well as the territory of Guam, are considering lengthening or eliminating their statutes of limitations in sex-abuse cases.

Annysa Johnson. "Compromise on church sex abuse bill would restore statute of limitations." Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin (April 13, 2010).
Proponents, including victims and statewide police and district attorneys associations, have supported the measure saying it's needed to bring justice to victims, many of whom wait years to voice their allegations. Opponents, including insurers and Catholic and Protestant church officials, say it's unconstitutional …

Arielle Levin Becker. "Statute of Limitations: Hartford Archbishop [Henry J. Mansell] urges parishes to fight legislation on child sex abuse cases." The Hartford Courant, Connecticut (April 10, 2010).
A proposal to extend the civil statute of limitations for child sexual abuse cases … "is terrible public policy, discriminatory by its nature, and a huge threat to us all," says [a] letter, signed by Mansell, Bishop William E. Lori of the Bridgeport diocese, and Bishop Michael R. Cote of Norwich.

Professor Marci Hamilton, Paul R. Verkuil Chair in Public Law at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law of Yeshiva University, joined New York Assemblywoman Margaret M. Markey in a letter to the editor of the New York Times (April 2, 2010).
…it has never been more imperative for states to reform or eliminate their statutes of limitations in child sexual abuse cases … passage by the State Legislature of the Child Victims Act, which shifts the balance of power to the victims and away from the secrecy that assists the perpetrators of these heinous crimes, is necessary … the failure to enact this legislation amounts to nothing less than a decision to continue to endanger the lives of millions of children.

"Germany to establish panel on abuse." CBC Canada (March 24, 2010).
German Chancellor Angela Merkel's cabinet is meeting Wednesday to establish an expert panel to … examine past abuses and take a second look at Germany's existing statute of limitations on sex crimes.

Howard Fischer. "Time-limit ban for abuse victims to sue attackers OK'd." Arizona Daily Sun (February 23, 2010).
State lawmakers voted Monday to give childhood victims of sex abuse an entire lifetime to sue those who assaulted them. Without dissent, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved a measure to repeal the existing laws that require civil suits to be filed within two years of someone turning 18.

It's the Bishop Who Decides What Abuse Is?

According to a recent National Public Radio report, even when the alleged victim is a minor, bishops themselves decide not only whether the incident constitutes abuse, but also whether the accusation is credible or not.

Kettlekamp says that since 2002, the bishops have adopted strict policies to identify abusers … [but] how to interpret those rules is left up to the individual bishops. … what constitutes abuse is left to their discretion. … NPR has reported on some cases where … the investigator or bishop did not find the allegation credible. Read the report by Barbara Bradley Hagerty, "U.S. bishops quietly reinstate accused priests." NPR (March 31, 2010).

Alphabetical List of Cases of Alleged Abuse Reported in the News

Legal Definitions of the Age of Consent

State laws vary in how the age of consent is defined. For a summary of current state legal definitions of the age of consent, see:

US Department of Health and Human Services. Statutory Rape: A Guide to State Laws and Reporting Requirements.

Alvin Adams

Ann Rodgers. "Priest accused of abusing teen to have restricted ministry." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (February 18, 2010).
… the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh investigated reports that he had sexually abused three young people … church law prohibited [Bishop David Zubik] from banning Father Adams from all ministry because the abuse began when she was 16 and church law at that time considered 16-year-olds adults.

Lonny J. Aleshire, Jr

Jessie Balmert. "Former pastor denied shorter sentence in rape case." Newark Advocate (December 8, 2010).
Aleshire was convicted of 10 sex-related counts in November 2005 for sexually abusing two teenage sisters. He raped one of them in the hallway of Licking Baptist Church, 1380 Beaver Run Road, according to court records.

Edward Altstock

Kate Mather. "Woman files $14-million lawsuit against Archdiocese of Portland alleging abuse." The Oregonian (September 28, 2011).
The 41-year-old woman accuses Father Edward Altstock of grooming, seducing and sexually abusing her on at least a dozen occasions while he was at St. John the Apostle parish in Reedsport in the 1980s. The woman said the abuse began when she was 14 and continued until she was at least 18.

Joshua Amoroso

Deb Stanley. "Youth pastor accused of sexual assault on teenager: Police arrest man at mall." The Denver Channel (December 3, 2010).
Joshua Amoroso, 21, worked as a youth pastor at Gateway Church in Colorado Springs. … Police said a 14-year-old girl told them that she had had sexual contact with Amoroso at multiple locations around Colorado Springs.

"Church ‘healing’ after youth pastor charged with sex assault." KKTV.com (December 3, 2010).
If you know anything about other possible victims, you're asked to call police at 444-7000. You can also make an anonymous tip by calling Crime Stoppers at 634-STOP.

Michael Louis Anthony

Teresa Blackman. "Longview youth pastor reportedly admitted sex abuse of teen girl ." KGW News (WA) (May 4, 2010).
Michael Louis Anthony, 43, appeared in court Tuesday morning. Court documents revealed that he worked at the Calvary Chapel when the alleged incidents occurred and he worked with the girl as a counselor and confidant.

Evans Justice Bacon

Stephen Thompson. "Pastor of St. Pete church charged with molesting teenage girl." Tampa Bay Online (April 14, 2009).
A longtime St. Petersburg pastor was arrested Monday on charges he repeatedly molested a 15-year-old girl on church property and then sexually assaulted her after she turned 17.

Luiz Marques Barbosa

Philip de Wit. "In Brazil, Catholic Church sees few scandals." NRC Handelsblad (March 31, 2010).
In Arapiraca, a town in the Brazilian state of Alagoas … a sex tape showing a 82-year-old priest, Luiz Marques Barbosa, in bed with a 19-year-old altar boy.

John Bennison

Joann Loviglio. "Victim testifies at church trial for bishop." ABC WPVI (June 09, 2008).
The testimony came as the trial opened for Bishop Charles E. Bennison Jr. of the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania, who is accused of concealing the sexual abuse of a 14-year-old girl by his brother, then a lay minister at a California church where Bennison was rector.

Dan Noyes. "Priest can't escape history of sexual misconduct." ABC7News (May 25, 2006).
…an Episcopal priest who had sex with members of his own flock and at least one young girl, while he was married…

Paul Lawrence Berrell

Clarke Morrison. "Asheville lawsuit targets Catholic church conduct: Knowledge of child sex abuse alleged." Citizen-Times (April 24, 2011).
The Catholic Church's pervasive pattern of hiring and protecting known sexual predators allowed a local parish music minister to repeatedly molest a girl, her parents claim in a lawsuit. Paul Lawrence Berrell's history of assaulting children at parishes in Georgia, Massachusetts and Tennessee was known to church officials before he was assigned to St. Eugene Catholic Church in March 2007, according to the suit filed in Buncombe County Superior Court. The lawsuit names the Diocese of Charlotte … along with Berrell and the Rev. John Schneider, the former pastor at St. Eugene.

Bradley Boda

Perrette J. Shields. "Former church youth counselor sentenced to 20 years in child sex assault case." Longmont Times-Call (Colorado) (July 1, 2010).
According to the arrest warrant affidavit, the sexual encounters happened in the church, on church trips and at children's homes. One man told investigators he had started a relationship with Boda when he was 13 and it lasted about a year. Another told police he had encounters with Boda from the time he was 13 until he was 17.

Don Bodnar

Richard Liebrecht. "Ukrainian priest charged with sex offences." Edmonton Sun (March 6, 2009).

"Priest facing sex charges suspended." Edmonton Journal (March 6, 2009).
Rev. Danylo Bodnar was charged with sexual assault and sexual interference earlier this year, the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Edmonton said in a release. "The allegations were in no way connected to his priestly ministry, but rather to a personal relationship …"

Jason Bolton

Robert Dilday. "Former Virginia Baptist youth minister accused of sex with teen in his church." Associated Baptist Press News (August 12, 2010).
Police in Northern Virginia's Prince William County arrested Jason Bolton, 32 … According to a police crime report, Bolton developed a close friendship with the girl, now 17, in September 2007, not long after he became youth pastor at Potomac Crest Baptist Church in Woodbridge, Va.

Lawrence F. X. Brett

"Priests cited in sexual-abuse claims." Connecticut Post (December 1, 2009).
College student goes to urologist because Brett, while performing oral sex on the teen, bit the young man's penis, causing wound.

William Frank Brown

Tommy Witherspoon. "Bellmead pastor sentenced to 50 years for sexually assaulting young church member." Waco Tribune-Herald (November 3, 2009).
… sentenced to 50 years in prison Monday after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting a young church member who considered him her ‘spiritual mentor.’

Patrick Tolbert and Henry Rosoff. "Pastor accused of molesting girls forgiven by victims: Brown resigned his post as the pastor of First Baptist Church Bellmead as the investigation got underway." KXXV-TV News Channel 25 (November 2, 2009).
Lead prosecutor Beth Toben said the plea deal was best for the community and for the two victims and their family.

Cory Clyde Campbell

Tim Gurrister. "Former LDS youth leader sentenced in sex abuse case." Standard-Examiner Odgen Utah (December 16, 2010).
Campbell was charged in February and March of this year with multiple counts of forcible sexual abuse for illicit touching of three girls ages 14 and 15 over a nine-month period in 2009 …

Jose Campoverde

"Anaheim pastor arrested on molestation charges." Los Angeles Times (September 28, 2009).
An Orange County pastor accused of molesting several underage girls is in custody and Anaheim police are asking other potential victims to come forward, authorities said today.

Anthony Cappuccio

Karen Ariaza. "Outrageous sentence for crimes against teens." NBC Philadelphia.com (March 13, 2009).
Cappuccio got sentenced to house arrest. Maybe as little as three months.

Jeremy Dewayne Caraway

"Judge lowers bond on eastern KY pastor charged with sex acts involving girl." The Republic (Harlan, KY) (October 7, 2011).
A judge lowered the bond for an eastern Kentucky pastor charged with committing sex acts with a girl younger than 14-years-old. … Caraway, who had been pastor at Loyall Church of God, was charged in July with nine counts, including second-degree rape and first-degree sexual abuse.

Jennifer Hewlett. "Harlan pastor faces rape, sexual abuse, sodomy, other charges." Lexington Herald-Leader (May 22, 2011).
A Harlan County minister has been charged with several sex crimes. Jeremy Dewayne Caraway, 36, pastor of Loyall Church of God, was arrested Sunday by Kentucky State Police.

William Casey

Matt Thacker. "Jeffersonville man speaks out about priest abuse: Tennessee priest charged after reportedly confessing." News and Tribune (TN) (May 1, 2010).
He claims that the Rev. Bill Casey, 76, sexually abused him from age 10 to 15. He said it started with fondling and progressed to "everything you can imagine." … Casey had been in some kind of romantic relationship with Tucker's mother and used that to gain access to him, even taking him on trips …

Eric Caverly

Lance Benzel. "Ex-lay pastor gets probation for relationship with teen girl." The Gazette (Colorado Springs) (September 26, 2011).
A former Colorado Springs lay pastor who pleaded guilty to a three-year sexual relationship with a troubled teenage girl was sentenced Monday to a minimum of 10 years’ intensive supervised probation. Under the plea agreement, Eric Caverly, 37, won't face prison time, and an additional count alleging that Caverly sexually abused a second girl while serving at Springs Community Church was dismissed.

Lester Cody

Jennifer Emily. "Forney pastor gets 10 years' probation for sexual assault of teen." Dallas Morning News (April 3, 2010).
Dallas County prosecutors say Lester Cody III assaulted the girl when she was 15 and 16. …

Jacob Conder

Ben Garbarek. "Youth leader jailed on sex abuse charges." 14WFIE.com (August 25, 2009).

Adrian Cook

Steve Myers. "Woman says she was abused by Catholic priest in 1970s: The Rev. Adrian Cook, however, says incidents were consensual." The Mobile Register (April 2, 2003).
Cook, 57, now serves as pastor of St. Maurice Catholic Church in Brewton … he acknowledged that he had sex with Weiss, but said it was consensual. He also confirmed that he had fathered a child with another woman.

Paul J. Cool

Josh O'Gorman. "Convicted molester to serve no jail time." Rutland Herald (April 9, 2010).
A Missouri clergyman convicted of using the word of God to molest a woman will serve no prison time and is on his way back home. Paul J. Cool, 49, of Amity, Mo., was sentenced Monday in White River Junction District Court … On Feb. 11, Cool pleaded guilty to five counts of engaging in a prohibited act …

Josh O'Gorman. "Missouri man to face Vermont sex charges." Rutland Herald (November 25, 2009).
The charges allege Cool repeatedly sexually assaulted a woman between 2006 and 2007, when she was between 18 years old and 19 years old.

Jason Cooper (J.D. Cooper)

"Two Baptist ministers convicted in sex case." The Advertiser (August 22, 2009).
… the two men molested a 16-year-old while driving back from a church event . . . Later in May, Richland Parish sheriff's investigators said a second victim came forward …

Antonio Cortes

"Parishioners show faith in accused priest." The Monterey County Herald (July 31, 2009).

Zachary Stahl. "Judgment Day: Salinas priest accused of child molestation will be back in court May 1." Monterey County Weekly (April 30, 2009).

"Child porn charges added in priest sex case: Priest accused of unlawful sexual behavior." KSBW.com (April 23, 2009).

Edward Courtney

Janet I. Tu. "Beset by sex-abuse lawsuits, Christian Brothers Catholic order files for bankruptcy: The Congregation of Christian Brothers in North America, the Roman Catholic religious order that runs Seattle's O'Dea High School and other schools around the country, has filed for bankruptcy, becoming the second Catholic order in the U.S. to do so because of sexual-abuse claims." Seattle Times (April 28, 2011).
Several cases also involve Edward Courtney, a former brother who taught at O'Dea and was principal at St. Alphonsus School in Seattle.

J. Peter Crynes

Dave Janoski. "Monsignor admits sex with teens: Bishop sends letter to parishioners of St. Therese's saying their former priest admitted to "unchaste behavior" with high school girls." Times Leader (August 27, 2006). Article available on AbuseTracker August 2006 archive.

Terrill Dalton

"Extradition to Utah on rape charge ."Salt Lake Tribune (August 25, 2010).
(Billings, Montana). The leader of a Montana religious sect arrested last week in Wyoming has waived extradition to Utah, where he faces charges of raping a 15-year-old girl.

Shawn Davies

Jim Avila, Bonnie Van Gilder and Matt Lopez. "Preachers accused of sins, and crimes: ABC News investigation uncovers predators in protestant churches." ABC News 20/20 (April 13, 2007).
Davies seduced teenage boys by acting like one of the gang. He talked about girls and sex with the teenagers.

Christopher Scott Decaire

Kim Smith. "Former minister found guilty of molesting girl: She says abuse was weekly; 50+ years in prison possible." Arizona Daily Star (August 20, 2009).
"Something happened pretty much every Wednesday," the girl testified, referring to the night that the youth group met.

Marcial Maciel Degollado

Michael Paulson. "Another scandal for Legion founder Maciel." The Boston Globe (February 3, 2009).
… the founder of the Legionaries of Christ, who before he died last year had been barred from public ministry over allegations of sexually abusing young men, is now being accused of having fathered at least one child …

Bruce Nolan. "Catholic group Regnum Christi rocked by sex scandal." Times Picayune (February 22, 2009).
[Jason Berry and Gerald Renner's] 2004 book, Vows of Silence … marshaled on-the-record interviews with nine former legion seminarians who said they had been sexually abused as youths by Maciel … [now] Legion leaders said they learned Maciel had a daughter in her 20s.

Gabriele Del Bianco

Karen Brady. "7th woman comes forward in priest sex abuse case." CBC News (April 19, 2011).
A seventh woman has come forward with claims of sexual abuse by a former Catholic priest in Wallaceburg and Windsor, Ont. during the early 1980s. Rod Dale, a lawyer for the complainants, said that another Windsor woman had come forward on Tuesday, claiming that she was sexually abused by former priest Gabriele DelBianco.

Dave Battagello. "Women file suit against ex-priest: Diocese apologizes for ‘all the hurt’." The Windsor Star (April 16, 2011).
A former Windsor priest is being sued by six women who allege he sexually abused them in Wallaceburg nearly three decades ago when they were teenagers.

Joseph DeShan

"Priests cited in sexual-abuse claims." Connecticut Post (December 1, 2009).
Initiated a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl while he was assigned to St. Augustine's Cathedral … Girl becomes pregnant and DeShan leaves priesthood.

Raoul Deveau

Alison Auld. "Woman alleges decade of abuse by N.S. priest: Says she endured years of sexual assaults, files suit against diocese." The Globe and Mail (January 5, 2010).
John McKiggan, Ms. Deschamp's lawyer, said Tuesday that the now middle-aged woman then moved in with the priest to help her impoverished, devout parents and was instructed to call him uncle.

Eric DeVries

Josh White. "Vienna Presbyterian Church seeks forgiveness, redemption in wake of abuse scandal." Washington Post (April 3, 2011).
… as many as a dozen teenage girls may have suffered sexual, emotional and spiritual abuse at the hands of a youth director who worked there from 2001 to 2005. The breadth of the accusations and the nature of them have shocked the relatively staid congregation and laid bare the kind of damage that can result from a combination of secretive predation, blind trust and a desire to move on without a full exploration of what really happened. … DeVries, then in his early 30s, maintained simultaneous relationships with several girls …

Jason William Dubwig

James L. White. "Pastor going to prison." Harrison Daily Times (May 19, 2009).
" … accused of having intercourse with a 17-year-old girl, who court documents identify as his adopted daughter."

Jaime Duenas

"87-year-old Bronx priest accused of inappropriately touching 16-year-old girl: Bronx DA: Father Jaime Duenas said ‘She didn't protest giving her a massage’." CBS New York (August 4, 2011).
A longtime priest at a Catholic church in the Bronx has been arrested, charged with sexually abusing a 16-year-old employee.

"Bronx priest, 87, arrested on sex abuse charges." Wall Street Journal (August 4, 2011).
The criminal complaint alleges that, among other things, he pulled the 16-year-old onto his lap, touched her inappropriately, and urged her not to tell her parents.

Rocco Vertuccio. "Community shocked by sexual abuse charge against priest." NY1 (August 4, 2011).
Parishioners at the Nativity of Our Blessed Lady Church said they just can't believe it. "I would put my life on this that he didn't do this," said Gilbert Lane, a church member.

Jack Duffer

Bob Allen. "Former youth minister pleads guilty to abuse." Associated Baptist Press (February 17, 2010).
A former associate pastor and minister of youth at a Southern Baptist church in Virginia pleaded guilty Feb. 11 to sex offenses against two teenage girls.

Katie Collett. "Former youth pastor arrested again." WAVY.com (August 24, 2009).
Duffer was arrested Friday after a second teenager in two weeks came forward saying the former youth pastor had sexual contact with her …

Kenneth Duncalfe

Gerry Bellett. "Mennonite abuse survivor speaks out against church." Vancouver Sun (March 20, 2009).
His behaviour had first been reported to the church's minister 19 years ago … Pastor Bev Toews of the Abbotsford Mennonite Church of God in Christ … "didn't think laying charges against [Duncalfe] was the way to go." … [Judge] Lenaghan was clearly disturbed by what he had heard regarding the church's response to Duncalfe's confession, "which occurred in 1990 when he admitted his sexual involvement with his daughter to members of his church."

Juan Carlos Duran

Lindsay Melvin. "Memphis-area priests speak out in sermons about sex-abuse reports." Commercial Appeal (Memphis) (April 14, 2010).
Father Thomas Condon of St. Peter Catholic Church Downtown admonished by name Father Juan Carlos Duran, the former Dominican priest who abused a 14-year-old boy while serving at the Church of the Ascension in Raleigh.

Lawrence Buser. "Church Secrets: Abusive Memphis priest reassigned rather than reined in." Commercial Appeal Memphis (April 8, 2010).
‘The Southern Dominican Province knew Duran had committed prior acts of sexual abuse before placing him in Memphis and therefore should never have placed him here,’ attorney Karen Campbell, representing ‘John Doe,’ said in court papers. … Duran was expelled from the Franciscan Order in 1985 for sexually abusing a boy in Bolivia. Duran, however, was accepted by the Dominicans, who knew of his past yet moved him to assignments in Panama, Miami, St. Louis and Memphis with good references.

Timothy C. Edmonds

Cheryl Caswell. "Former youth pastor gets 10 to 20 years for sexual abuse of girl." The Daily Mail (April 16, 2009).
A former church youth pastor was sentenced to 10 to 20 years in the penitentiary for sexually abusing a young girl …

Andrew Max Eggman Jr.

Pete DeLea. "Former Mennonite missionary enters Alford Plea in sex case." Daily News Record (VA) (March 11, 2009).

Pete DeLea. "Eggman avoids Calif. offenders list: Local prosecutors pursue change in status for convicted sex taper." Daily News Record (VA) (July 2, 2009).
A former Mennonite missionary who pleaded guilty to secretly videotaping teenage relatives having sex with students at Eastern Mennonite University has been excluded from California's sex offender registry.

Dennis Craig Erb

"Son talks about dad's molestation charge." WSET-TV (Lynchburg Danville Roanoke) (November 16, 2010).
The former associate pastor of an area church is charged with aggravated sexual battery of a minor. … Police do not have evidence that any molestation happened at the Appomattox church.

Christopher E. Evans

Barrett J. Brunsman. "Former youth minister facing prison found dead: Letters show he couldn't get teen off his mind." Cincinnati Enquirer (February 23, 2010).
Police said a former youth minister at a Clermont County church fatally shot himself Monday, just hours after he pleaded guilty to sexual battery and unlawful sexual conduct involving a 15 year old girl.

Timothy Joseph Evans

Monte Whaley. "Ex-priest guilty of sex assault." Denver Post (March 3, 2007).
Jurors said Monday that they didn't buy the claims of a former Fort Collins priest that his manhandling and caressing of a 17-year-old boy was an innocent expression of his love … the panel convicted 43-year-old Timothy Joseph Evans of three counts of sexual assault of a child by a person in a position of trust.

John M. Fiala

Leia Mendoza. "Ex-Omaha priest held in Kansas." Omaha World-Herald (September 5, 2010).
Fiala … left to join the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity in Texas. He served at these parishes in the Archdiocese of Omaha from 1984 to 1995: St. Columbkille, Papillion; Sacred Heart, Norfolk; St. Joan of Arc, St. Peter and Christ the King, all Omaha; St. Mary, Spencer; and St. Joseph, Wisner.

Shaun Hittle. "Arrested former priest served briefly in Kansas." Lawrence Journal-World (LJWorld.com) (September 5, 2010).
assignments, including work at St. Joseph's Parish in Shawnee in 2001, followed by several months at a parish in Holton. Prior to that, he was spiritual director from 1998 to 2001 at a religious order that had a house in the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph.

"LAWRENCE: Priest arrested on Texas charges." The Kansas City Star (September 3, 2010).

Carol J. Williams. "Sex abuse suit is filed in Texas diocese supervised by L.A.'s incoming archbishop: Teen's lawsuit says he was repeatedly assaulted and that Jose Gomez should have known that the priest was an abuser." Los Angeles Times (April 9, 2010).
The suit alleges that Father John M. Fiala assaulted the teen in 2007 and 2008, including forcing him to perform sex acts at gunpoint. Edwards County sheriff's officials brought the reported abuse to the attention of the church hierarchy in 2008, the lawsuit said.

Sean Fortune

Sarah MacDonald (Producer). "Suing the Pope." BBC Two (March 19, 2002).
Fr Sean Fortune killed himself in 1999 in the first week of the criminal trial denying his many victims their first chance to be heard.

Curtis Franklin

William Lamb. "Mahwah assistant pastor charged in sex assault." North Jersey (December 1, 2009).

Wallace Frey

Renee K. Gadoua. "Episcopal priest admits to abuse in Skaneateles." The Post-Standard (August 14, 2007).
The Rev. Wallace Frey, pastor of St. David's Episcopal Church in DeWitt for 28 years, resigned from the ministry in 1992 after admitting sexual contact with several young men, including at least one teenager.

Christopher William Furey

"Minister charged with sex crimes." The Verde Independent (Cottonwood, AZ) (August 23, 2010).
The victim is a 16-year-old girl. The Cottonwood Police Department is now asking if anyone has any information involving Chris Furey to contact Detective Monica Kuhlt at (928) 634-4246.

James Patrick Grady

"St. Louis area priest pleads guilty in child porn case." KMOXradio (March 31, 2010).
Investigators say they found more than 100 images of girls between the ages of 7 and 17 on his computer …

Robert Patrick. "Catholic priest busted in sex sting in St. Louis County." St. Louis Post-Dispatch (July 31, 2009).
James Patrick Grady, 57, Pastor of St. Raphael The Archangel, showed up at a St. Louis County home Wednesday, offering to pay money to have sex with a 16-year-old girl, documents allege.

Gerard Anthony Green

"NI priest faces sex assault charges: A Catholic priest has gone on trial accused of sexually assaulting an altar boy at a County Down church. BBC (March 12, 2002).
Father Gerard Anthony Green, 54, whose address was given as Ballinamoney Road in Lurgan, appeared at Newry Crown Court on Tuesday to face seven charges of indecent assault and gross indecency.

Carlton F. Hammonds

Rob Parsons. "Three testify pastor sexually abused them." Willows Journal (September 28, 2010).
… testimony from three women who said Carlton F. Hammonds groped them on multiple occasions and at various locations, but most frequently the reported abuse occurred inside the Willows Baptist Church and in Hammonds' real estate office in Willows.

Fred Hanson

Bryan Tait. "Ex-pastor gets 18 months for sex crimes." The Bugle-Observer (June 19, 2010).
A former St. John River Valley pastor convicted of two sex crimes was sentenced to 16 months behind bars.

Wallace A. Harris

Paul Vitello. "Pastor steps forward with new claim of past sexual abuse by Harlem monsignor." New York Times (August 15, 2008).

Ellis Harsham

"Sex abuse cases not new locally." Cincinnati Enquirer (March 16, 2002).
In 1994, Ellis N. Harsham resigned from the priesthood after Elder High School graduate Steven Cook accused him … The Archdiocese of Cincinnati settled Mr. Cook's claim against Mr. Harsham, a former teacher at St. Gregory Seminary in Mount Washington …

"Archdiocese settles sex lawsuit." The New York Times (April 19, 1994).
A man who accused Joseph Cardinal Bernardin of Chicago of sexual abuse, then withdrew the accusation, has settled his lawsuit against the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and a priest. Both sides today confirmed the settlement, in which the defendants did not admit wrongdoing.

Matthew Herrmann

Jennifer Baker. "Catholic school teacher faces more sex charges involving female students: Delhi Twp. man allegedly traded nude photos with 14-year-old girl." Cincinnati Enquirer (June 22, 2010).
A former teacher at faces sex charges involving two teenage students. … There could be more victims, Delhi police announced Tuesday. … Anyone with information about more potential victims is asked to contact Delhi police: 513-922-0060.

Malcolm Hoare

Christine Cunningham. "Norfolk former Baptist pastor jailed for sex assaults." EDP 24 (Eastern Daily Press: Britain's Regional Newspaper of the Year) (December 11, 2010).
Malcolm Hoare, who belonged to the King's Lynn Baptist Fellowship, was found guilty following a trial of five counts of indecently assaulting the girl when she was aged between 13 and 15.

"King's Lynn ex-pastor guilty of child sex offences." BBC News (September 23, 2010).
A former pastor at a Norfolk church has been found guilty of five indecent assaults against a young member of his congregation.

Otis Holland

Associated Press. "Police: Nevada pastor molested young girl." KTVN-TV Henderson, Nevada (January 11, 2011).
Police say the pastor of a Las Vegas area church [United Faith church in Henderson] sexually abused a young girl and warned her that she would go to hell if she told anyone about their relationship.

Jackie Valley. "Pastor accused of sexually assaulting girl from congregation." Las Vegas Sun (January 11, 2011).
The victim's parents had allowed her to go to Holland's house under the pretense that she was receiving counseling. … "Otis stated to her that she couldn't tell anyone about what had occurred due to the fact that if he was caught, he would go to prison for a long time and the church would be ruined and it would be all her fault," police said in the report.

Dieugrand Jacques

Eric Glasser. "Boynton Beach Pastor arrested for sexual battery." WPTV (January 8, 2010).
The case dates back to May of 2007 when the alleged victim would have been just 15 years old. … investigators ... questioned other women in the church … another said something similar had happened to her.

Stephen E. Jeselnick

Pat Bywater. "Former local man recounts life-altering events with parish priest that sent him into downward spiral." The Meadville Tribune (February 11, 2008).
Diocese of Erie statement on the case: The allegation … concerns Kevin McParland, who at the time was an adult, and not a minor. Thus, this matter does not fall within the bishop's Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. See also online reader comments.

Joseph Jeyapaul

Tim Nelson."Alleged sex abuse victim speaks out after settlement." Minnesota Public Radio (September 6, 2011).
A Thief River Falls woman said Tuesday she was speaking out after winning a settlement with the Catholic Diocese of Crookston for abuse by a priest in 2004. Megan Peterson said she was an aspiring nun when Rev. Joseph Jeyapaul sexually assaulted her. She said it happened when she was 14, at churches in Middle River and Greenbush.

Dave Johnson, Franciscan friar

Nick Welsh. "Moral dumping ground: New sex abuse claims filed against Franciscans." The Independent (November 25, 2009).
Craig Clover and Ernesto C. would add two more to the list of 62 minors molested by Franciscan friars in Santa Barbara since 1960.

Ralph Johnson

Staci Wilson. "Ex-priest pleads guilty on sex charges." The Times Tribune (November 20, 2010).
A former Episcopal priest pleaded guilty in Susquehanna County Court on Friday to sexually assaulting two teen boys.

Steven Bruce Joplin

"Staunton youth pastor case moves forward: The case against a former youth pastor accused of fondling young girls is on its way to a grand jury." WSHV.com (October 6, 2009).
A few days later Joplin was charged again after four more victims came forward.

Shawn Anthony Justice

"Alaska sex abuse trial opens with victim testimony." Anchorage Daily News (November 5, 2010).
The girl said she was 14 when she began exchanging text messages with Justice on their cell phones in 2008. Justice is the former pastor of Corinthian Baptist Church in Fairbanks.

Chris Freiberg. "Sexual abuse trial of ex-pastor starts with victim's testimony." Fairbanks News-Miner (November 5, 2010).
Superior Court Judge Michael McConahy has ruled the jury of seven men and seven women, including two alternates, will also hear about Justice's 2003 misdemeanor conviction in Virginia for contributing to the delinquency of a minor. In that case, Justice, then 24 years-old and a choir director, had sex with a 15-year-old member of the choir.

Fernando Karadima

Pascale Bonnefoy and Alexei Barrionuevo. "Chilean Archbishop refers child abuse case against priest to Vatican." New York Times (June 20, 2010).
The archbishop of Santiago, Cardinal Francisco Javier Errazuriz, has asked the Vatican to decide the fate of a prominent Chilean priest who has been accused by several former parishioners of sexually abusing them when they were teenagers.

Kenneth Kaucheck

Cecil Ange. "No charges for Oakland priest accused of sex with girl." Free Press (April 28, 2009).
… forced resignation over allegations of sexual misconduct with a 16-year-old girl … a Clawson detective spoke with the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office and was told there would be no charges filed … because the teen was of legal consent in 1976 when the alleged sexual relationship took place.

Norman Henley Keesee

Bob Allen. "Pastor calls for church unity following arrest of associate pastor." Associated Baptist Press News (October 28, 2010).
Police in Greenwood, S.C., arrested Norman Henley Keesee, 57, after the mother of a girl who attends Emerald Baptist Church alerted authorities to allegations by her daughter that the minister touched her inappropriately during private keyboard lessons at both her home and on church property.

Frederick Kelley

Steve Visser. "Pastor faces prison for molesting foster child: Jury returns guilty verdict against Bishop Frederick Kelley of Decatur on charges of aggravated sexual battery and molestation. " The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (February 25, 2008).
A Decatur pastor faces at least 25 years in prison after being convicted of aggravated sexual battery and child molestation of his 15-year-old foster child, authorities said.

James G. Kiffmeyer

Richelle Thompson. "Elder teacher's abuse case not disclosed to school." The Cincinnati Enquirer (May 4, 2002).
Kiffmeyer has denied that allegation as well as the 1997 complaint that was settled … Like the other allegation, the settlement involved an 18-year-old who alleged the priest had "attempted sexual intimacy" … Because the accuser was not a child, the archdiocese didn't feel it had to report the complaint to law enforcement …

Dennis Killion

Sean O'Sullivan. "Clergy abuse in Delaware: Oblates settle with two victims." The News Journal (Wilmington, DE) (February 19, 2011).
The civil suit, filed in 2008 by Anthony Kramedas and Christopher Mauro, both 41, of Wilmington, alleged the Rev. Dennis Killion molested them when they were students at Salesianum School …

Martin Klassen

Eddie Chau. "Woman allegedly silenced by Mennonite church: Virgil native claims sexual abuse at hands of father." Niagara This Week (December 26, 2008).
"I felt betrayed by my church," Klassen told the Crier via phone from an undisclosed location. "I had gone to my pastor (when the abuse took place) and he told me he was aware of it. He told me to forgive my father and family for what happened."

"Sex assault victim claims "Mennonite coverup": Virgil woman says church scared her into silence." The Standard (December 17, 2008).
Klassen said she was also told to never go to the police about the matter … She said her father's pastor, who was based at what is now called the Cornerstone Community Church in Virgil, told her to forgive her father, her family, and the faith leaders who didn't come to her assistance.

Raymond Kownacki

AP. "Bellelville Diocese loses appeal in sex abuse case ." STLToday.com (January 15, 2011).
Wisniewski sued in 2002 in St. Clair County, alleging that the Rev. Raymond Kownacki sexually abused him for five years in the 1970s beginning when he was 13. The lawsuit also claimed the diocese concealed Kownacki's suspected behavior and quietly shuffled him among parishes. … The ruling also found that the allegations against the diocese were not refuted.

George Pawlaczyk. "Belleville diocese loses appeal in sex abuse lawsuit; $5 million verdict stands." Belleville News-Democrat (January 14, 2011).
In an 85-page decision, of which nearly half was dedicated to a summary of decades of sexual abuse against boys and at least one girl allegedly committed by the Rev. Raymond Kownacki and repeated coverups of this activity by former diocese officials, the three-member panel of judges voted 2-1 to uphold the verdict. … During the trial, numerous allegations that Kownacki repeatedly raped a 14-year-old girl who was his housekeeper and sexually molested children he brought from a mission in Guatemala went unrefuted.

Joshua W. Landis

Don McGlynn. "Parents file suit against Parker Hill." Times Leader (December 28, 2010).
The parents of a minor who was molested are suing Joshua W. Landis and Parker Hill Community Church in Lackawanna County Court. Landis, a former youth leader at Parker Hill, was sentenced, after pleading guilty … The suit claims Parker Hill was aware of similar allegations against Landis while he worked as a youth minister and was given a small group of teenage boys to mentor and chaperone at Union Center Christian Church (U.C.C.C.) in Endicott, N.Y.

Mike Landy

R. J. Cooper. "Former OATS director sentenced." St. Joe News (January 6, 2010).
The victim was 13 and the defendant 43 when the relationship started, and Mr. Landy met her while working with the youth program at the New Life Bible Church.

Robert Larson

Stan Finger. "Priest accused of sexual abuse served in Wichita." Wichita Eagle (May 8, 2010).
The priest, Robert Larson, pleaded guilty in 2001 in Harvey County District Court to abusing three altar boys and a 19-year-old man while he was pastor of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Newton.

Baruch Lebovits

Mary Murphy. "Rabbi sentenced 32 years for sexually abusing teen." WPIX.com (April 13, 2010).
Lebovits, a father of seven children and grandfather to 24, had long been the subject of talk in his community, but no action was ever taken against him, until three alleged victims came forward a couple of years ago.

John Thomas Mathew Lee

Dan Ephron. "Questionable conduct: Chaplains, sexual abuse and what the military knows." Newsweek (December 24, 2007).
… the 20-year-old cadet started counseling with a military chaplain, Navy Lt. Cmdr. John Thomas Mathew Lee …

Russell Lesser

Leigh Mills. "A local woman brings her sexual predator to justice 35 years after the crimes were committed." NBC 15 (November 10, 2009).
"… a Christian camp, and that's where he started to groom me." … Lesser pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Russell Dion Lewis

Bob Allen. "Abuse charge against worship leader rocks prominent Fla. church." Associated Baptist Press (December 1, 2009).
While authorities say the acts were consensual, in Florida a 14-year-old cannot legally consent to sex.

Eddie Long

Errin Haines. "Ga. megachurch pastor pledges to fight accusations." Washington Post (September 26, 2010).

James C. McKinley and Robbie Brown. "Sex scandal threatens a Georgia pastor's empire." The New York Times (September 25, 2010).
Four former members of a youth group he runs have accused him of repeatedly coercing them into homosexual sex acts, and of abusing his considerable moral authority over them …

Cleve R. Wootson Jr. "Matthews man is 4th to accuse megachurch pastor of illicit acts: In lawsuit, Matthews man says bishop used his position to coerce him into a sexual relationship." Charlotte Observer (September 25, 2010).
LeGrande's lawsuit said he met Long at New-Birth Charlotte as a 16-year-old.

"Atlanta pastor says he's hurt by false allegations." CNN (September 23, 2010).
All three contend the LongFellows Youth Academy and New Birth knew or should have known of Long's behavior and that they failed to warn the young men.

"Third lawsuit filed against Atlanta pastor; news conference planned." CNN (September 22, 2010).

"Megachurch Pastor denies sexual coercion charges." National Public Radio (September 22, 2010).

Shelia M. Poole, Megan Matteucci and Katie Leslie. "Lawsuits accuse Bishop Eddie Long of sexual coercion; Long ‘adamantly denies’." Atlanta Journal-Constitution (September 21, 2010).

Fernando Lugo

"The Sins of Father Clean-Up: Paraguay is reeling from the news that its moral-crusader president had a teenage mistress while still a bishop." The Sunday Times (April 19, 2009).

Jody Lusk

O.J. Stapleton. "Pastor charged with rape repents." News-Leader and Democrat (October 2009).
Lusk, who admits to a six-month affair with the young teenager, said he will not fight the charge of second-degree rape.

Robert MacGregor

Josh Jerga. "Celibacy vow ruled ‘cruel and archaic’." AAP (February 24, 2010).
During online chat sessions … [with] … a police officer posing as a 13-year-old girl. The 55-year-old pleaded guilty in October to grooming and procuring a child under the age of 16 and today he was sentenced to a maximum of 18 months behind bars.

Daniel Maio

Jeff Tucker. "Diocese faces new sex abuse lawsuit: Both men's claims involve the late Rev. Daniel Maio." The Pueblo Chieftain (April 7, 2010).
A second civil lawsuit alleging child sexual abuse by the former director of youth services for the Catholic Diocese of Pueblo was filed in court Monday.

Luis A. Bonilla Margarito

Holly Herman. "Ex-Central Catholic priest made teen pregnant, lawsuit says." Reading Eagle (Reading, PA) (August 27, 2010).
A Muhlenberg Township couple filed a lawsuit in Berks County Court on Thursday, accusing the Allentown Diocese of failing to prevent a former Central Catholic High School priest from impregnating their 19-year-old daughter.

Kathy Lauer-Williams. "Priest removed from duties after admitting affair: Had inappropriate relationship with 18-year-old. He previously served in Emmaus, Orefield." The Morning Call (November 16, 2009).

James J. McCoy

James Craven. "Victim recounts clergy abuse in Southington." New Britain Herald (January 15, 2009).
McCoy admitted to inappropriate behavior but denied having done anything more than kissing and fondling. According to a police statement given by Townsley, McCoy suggested that the fault was with Maxfield … McCoy was convicted on two counts of fourth-degree sexual assault. He was sentenced to two years in jail, suspended after 60 days with probation for three years.

James J. McDevitt

Julia Green. "Catholic Diocese denies responsibility for overseeing priest charged with sex abuse." Catskill Mountain News (August 19, 2010).
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany has filed an affidavit in answer to a civil suit filed on behalf of alleged victims of sex abuse and their families, claiming the Diocese is not responsible for overseeing Father James J. McDevitt in his role as priest at the Sacred Heart Parish in Margaretville.

Cederick McMillan

Rhoda A. Pickett. "Mobile pastor who helped found academy faces sex charges." Mobile Register (August 4, 2011).
McMillian, 26, of Eight Mile, is charged with second-degree sexual abuse and second-degree sodomy … McMillian is pastor of New Birth Community Church in Mobile. He was instrumental in the founding of Prichard Preparatory Academy in Prichard.

Jessica Taloney. "Local pastor arrested on sex charges." WKRG (August 4, 2011).
The charges stem from an ‘ongoing series of incidents’ involving a 14 year old female relative, said Assistant District Attorney Nicki Patterson.

Paul G. McPartland

Thomas Farragher and Matt Carroll. "Church board dismissed accusations by females." Boston Globe (February 7, 2003).
When the Rev. Paul G. McPartland was accused by a woman, who said he had tried to sexually molest her in a car at Castle Island when she was 16, the church took no action.

Stephen Miller

Derek Alexander. "Priest is suspended from parish following police investigation." Sunday Mail (March 22, 2009).

Victor Mitchell

"Two Baptist ministers convicted in sex case." The Advertiser (August 22, 2009).
… the two men molested a 16-year-old while driving back from a church event … Later in May, Richland Parish sheriff's investigators said a second victim came forward …

Walter Mixa

"Ex-Bischof Walter Mixa (69) gibt auf: ‘Ich bin in vieler Hinsicht schuldig geworden’." BILD (Germany) (June 23, 2010).

"Ex-Bischof Walter Mixa gibt auf." FOCUS Magazin (Germany) (June 23, 2010).
Er sei "in vieler Hinsicht schuldig geworden", raeumte der 69-Jaehrige ein. … in der vergangenen Woche hatte sich Mixa als Opfer einer Intrige bezeichnet …

Tom Heneghan. "German RC Church confirms damning report on bishop." Reuters (June 22, 2010).
… the bishops' report painted a devastating portrait of an alcoholic who regularly drank all day long and had made homosexual advances to at least two young priests working with him in the 1990s.

Bruno Waterfield. "Shamed German bishop: a sex predator." Vancouver Sun (June 21, 2010).

Bruno Waterfield. "Walter Mixa, German bishop and ally of the Pope, faces new child abuse allegations: A secret Vatican file on a disgraced Roman Catholic German bishop alleges he is a ‘severely alcoholic man’ who sexually preyed on young priests." The Telegraph (UK) (June 21, 2010).

Murray Alexander Moffat

Felicity Caldwell. "Priest blames girl for abuse." Queensland Times (Australia) (August 27, 2010).
Murray Alexander Moffat was an assistant priest at Sacred Heart Church at Booval when he sexually abused the girl from 1978 to 1980, when she was aged between 12 and 15.

Nicholas Monaghan

Michael O'Malley. "More former students of revered Parma priest Nicholas Monaghan say he molested them." The Plain Dealer (June 12, 2011).
The diocese refused, saying the alleged abuses happened too long ago and that there was no proof. But for Cecelia Puls, 69, of Brunswick; Shirley Schewzow, 70, of North Royalton; Pat Barrett, 69, of Medina; and Susan Kane, 62, of University Heights -- all claiming abuse at the hands of Monaghan -- there is plenty of proof.

Daniel L. Monk

Jessie Balmert. "Former pastor found guilty of sexual abuse." Newark Advocate (January 5, 2011).
Despite attempts to delay, a 47-year-old former pastor was found guilty Wednesday of having sex with a 16-year-old congregant. Daniel L. Monk, last known address 1025 Kelly Drive, Hebron, pleaded no contest …

Jon Moore

Dennis Huspeni. "Ex-pastor to spend holidays in jail." The Gazette (Colorado Springs) (December 15, 2008).
A former pastor convicted of molesting a teen-age girl will spend Christmas in jail . . . Moore admitted he repeatedly assaulted a then 15-year-old female parishioner, including after Sunday services in the church basement, starting in 2004. See also online reader comments.

Angel Morales

Gary V. Murray. "Ex-pastor found guilty of sex with teen: Morales kept in custody." Telegram & Gazette (Worcester, MA) (February 19, 2011).
The former pastor of a Leominster church was found guilty yesterday of having sex with a 14-year-old female parishioner. … The victim testified during the three-day trial that she and Rev. Morales, the married pastor of the Pentecostal church she and her family had attended for more than two years, engaged in sexual intercourse three times …

Gary V. Murray. "Pastor admits he had intercourse with 14-year-old girl." Telegram & Gazette (Worcester, MA) (February 18, 2011).
The Rev. Angel Morales, the former pastor of a Pentecostal church in Leominster, admitted under questioning by police that he twice engaged in sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old female parishioner. … The alleged victim, now 15, testified Wednesday. She said that she and Rev. Morales, the 32-year-old former pastor of the Casa de Restauracion church at 134 Spruce St. …

William Mueller

"Man who alleged sexual abuse settles with priest." St Louis Today (August 27, 2010).
Bacon had already settled part of the suit with the Marianist Province of the United States, a St. Louis-based order that operated Vianney.

Joseph Muench

Jim Warren. "Priest's abuse victims didn't want to be ID'd. Prosecutor: Plea deal averts trauma of testifying." Lexington Herald Leader (March 23, 2010).
… One victim in the case was older than 18 and another was 16 when the incidents occurred …

Chester Mulligan

"Former East Chicago pastor faces sex charges." Indianapolis Star (December 30, 2003). Article available on the Poynter Center AbuseTracker website archive.
Authorities allege that Chester Mulligan, 58, now of Fort Sill, Okla., first had sexual intercourse with the girl, then 14, in July 1997.

William Myers

Sandy Brundage. "Update: St. Raymond pastor on leave after ‘boundary violation’ with teen, archdiocese says Police found no criminal activity." The Almanac (Menlo Park, Atherton, Portola Valley, Woodside) (June 1, 2011).
Father Myers is seeking treatment for a sexual addiction to adults, according to the archdiocese. He joined the parish in 2007, transferring from St. Brendan Church in San Francisco.

Brian Neiswender

Sheena Delazio. "Ex-youth pastor gets 8-16 months: Brian Neiswender pleaded no contest to charges he inappropriately touched as many as 10 girls while on the staff for a church in Kingston." Times Leader (July 21, 2009).

Patrick L. Nicholson

Steve Myers and Kristen Campbell. "Woman pursues report on former Mobile priest: Susan Archibald accuses the Rev. Patrick L. Nicholson of seducing her into an exploitative sexual relationship." Mobile Register (February 15, 2003). Available on the AbuseTracker website archive.
At the time, he was a 37-year-old captain, ordained in his native Ireland, and she was an 18-year-old cadet from rural Wisconsin.

Michael Nowak

John Fauber. "Priest placed on leave for alleged sexual comments." Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (May 7, 2011).
A Kenosha priest was placed on administrative leave after he was alleged to have made sexually explicit comments to a girl.

"Kenosha priest placed on administrative leave: Priest restricted from ministry pending investigation." WISN.com (May 7, 2011).
In a letter sent to parishioners, Archbishop Jerome Listecki said the report alleges an inappropriate telephone conversation took place last week between the priest and a girl that included sexually explicit language.

Joshua O'Bannion

Danielle Frizzi. "Parma Pastor admits to sex with teen." Fox8.com (September 30, 2009).
When word got out that O'Bannion had been arrested, Parma police received calls from two victims in Parma … Parma police believe there are more victims. Anyone with information should contact the crime tip line at (440) 887-7340.

Patrick O'Connor

Michael O'Malley. "Former Cleveland Catholic Diocese priest begins jail sentence for sexual offense." Metro-Cleveland.com (January 5, 2010).
A former priest of the Cleveland Catholic Diocese reported Monday to Lorain County Jail where he began a 90-day sentence for having sexual contact with a 15-year-old boy in 1997.

Martin P. O'Loghlen

"Priest accused of 1999 sex scandal finally removed." Ms. Magazine (February 14, 2011).
After having been contacted multiple times by Reverend O'Loghlen, Julie Malcolm filed a lawsuit against the priest and his religious order, the Congregation of Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary …

Jennifer Medina. "Los Angeles Archdiocese to dismiss priest over admission of molesting girl." New York Times (February 12, 2011).
Martin P. O'Loghlen, was once a leader in his religious order and was appointed to an archdiocesan sexual abuse advisory board, although officials at both the order and the archdiocese knew at the time about his admission of sexual abuse and addiction.

Larry Gordon. "Priest is relieved of duties; church official resigns." Los Angeles Times (February 11, 2011).
… the archdiocese said it was reacting to inquiries from a New York Times reporter researching an article about Father Martin P. O'Loghlen, who was assigned two years ago to Holy Name of Mary Church in San Dimas. … Cardinal Roger M. Mahony accepted the resignation of the Archdiocesan Vicar for Clergy, Msgr. Michael Meyers. According to archdiocese spokesman Tod Tamberg, … Meyers was in charge of procedures intended to ensure that no sexual predators remained in ministry positions.

Lionel P. Ouellette

Thomas Farragher and Matt Carroll. "Church board dismissed accusations by females." Boston Globe (February 7, 2003).
When a woman complained to the Archdiocese of Boston in 1994 that the Rev. Lionel P. Ouellette had molested her as a schoolgirl in Lynn, the church ruled he could keep his job.… Cardinal Bernard F. Law decided Oullette could retain his ministry "with your pastor being aware of the concerns that have been raised about you."

Freddie L. Parker

"Adams County pastor freed on bond after being charged with statutory rape." WREG News Channel 3 (Memphis) (March 24, 2009).
Authorities say a pastor in Adams County has been charged with statutory rape after DNA evidence showed he was the father of a baby born to a 14-year-old girl … the Rev. Freddie L. Parker, pastor of the True Bibleway Church, was arrested Monday.

Gregory Patejko

Stephen J. Lee. "A crime of silence." Grand Forks Herald (May 6, 2009).
Vicar General, Monsignor Wendelyn Vetter, came to [the alleged victim's] home and got him to sign a document releasing the Fargo diocese from any claims …

Michael Pecharich

William Lobdell. "Priest leaves sad, angry congregants: Members of the Orange County church are stunned as leader of 12 years is forced out after admitting to sexual misconduct with teen." Los Angeles Times (March 4, 2002).
The congregants gave the departing priest a standing ovation … Some congregants floated the idea of naming the new parish hall after Pecharich as a tribute …

Daniel Pedroza

Nathan Wright and Lacey Nadeau. "Youth pastor accused of sexual relationship with teen." San Clemente Times (December 18, 2008).
Pedroza is accused of six felony counts, including three counts of unlawful sex with a minor. See also online reader comments.

Chris Caesar. "Youth pastor accused of sexual relationship with teen: Daniel Pedroza, of San Clemente, faces 6 felony counts." The Orange County Register (December 18, 2008).
Amormino said investigators think there may be additional victims, and urged anyone with more information to contact the Sheriff's Department at 714-628-7170. See also online reader comments.

Robert Petrella

Tom Roussey. "Victim of priest sex abuse gives advice to parents." WBTV (Gaffney, SC) (July 7, 2010).
David Fortwengler says he knows what the man who came forward alleging abuse by a North Carolina priest (Joseph Kelleher) feels like. … He says Robert Petrella, the Catholic priest convicted of abusing him, abused a total of over two dozen children.

Joseph Pham

Randy Hallman. "Dinwiddie priest removed from post." Richmond Times-Dispatch (July 30, 2011).
The Catholic Diocese of Richmond investigated the allegation as required by the Charter for the Protection of Children and the Diocesan Safe Environment Regulations, the statement said, and Pham ‘admitted the accusation is true and the incident did occur.’

Jason Phillips

John Froehling. "Sex assault trial continues for Canton youth pastor." Canton Daily Ledger (April 22, 2011).
Jason Phillips, 36, a youth pastor and associate pastor at Covenant Community Fellowship Church, was arrested May 19, 2010, following a nine-day investigation by police, which included reviewing phone calls and text messages and conducting interviews. Phillips faces one felony count of criminal sexual assault for having sexual contact with a girl between the ages of 13 and 17.

Kevin Phillips

David Marr. "Stannies priest convicted of abuse." Sydney Morning Herald (December 4, 2010).
Another priest has been convicted of abusing a boy at St Stanislaus' College in Bathurst. … Soon after becoming assistant chaplain at the boarding school run by the Vincentian Fathers, Phillips began to invite students to his room to drink and smoke. … Operation Belle, the NSW Police investigation into allegations of abuse at the school since the 1970s, has seen two priests convicted -- Phillips and Rick McPhillamy.

John Picard

Mark Caudill. "Ex-youth pastor gets 40 years." Mansfield News Journal (September 4, 2009).
[Picard] wielded control over some of the victims from their teens to adulthood, in some cases even after marriage.

Charles Plock

Erica Pearson, Kerry Burke and Alison Gendar. "St. John's University priest accused of sending homemade smut to teen." New York Daily News (October 20, 2008).
When NYPD investigators showed up at the cleric's on-campus apartment in Murray Hall yesterday, Plock argued that he sent his X-rated videos only to consenting adults, a law enforcement source said.

John Powell

Peter Sachs. "Former Loyola professor charged in sex abuse case." Chi Town Daily News (December 10, 2008).
A Florida woman has become the most recent person to claim she was sexually abused by a Jesuit priest who used to teach at Loyola University Chicago, and that the Jesuit order covered up the incident and others like it. … Powell, 83 and now retired, was named in two previous sex abuse lawsuits, one of which was settled out of court in 2005.

Michael J. Pratt

Sara Israelsen-Hartley. "Ex-seminary principal Michael Pratt pleads guilty in sex case." Deseret News (American Fork, Utah) (June 2, 2010).
Michael J. Pratt [former principal of the Lone Peak High School LDS seminary in Highland], pleaded guilty in 4th District Court to two counts of object rape and one count of forcible sodomy, first-degree felonies, and one count of forcible sex abuse, a second-degree felony. … Eleven other similar felonies were dismissed.

Bobby Price

Ben Thompson. "Sex abuse lawsuit filed against Concord church." NewsChannel 36 (WCNC Concord, NC) (September 20, 2011).
A sex abuse lawsuit has been filed against a baptist church in Concord. The suit alleges that the former youth minister at King's Way Baptist Church, Bobby Price, molested the plaintiff.

Bernard Prince

Jennifer Green. "‘It ruined my life’, victim of pedophile priest says. Former archbishop Gervais knew of transgressions: court documents." Ottawa Citizen (April 10, 2010).
It would be more than 25 years before Prince would be defrocked and convicted on 13 counts of sexual and indecent assault. … Court documents in Pembroke show that even Ottawa's former archbishop, Marcel Gervais, knew about Prince's transgressions. In 1993, the Vatican awarded Prince a high-ranking post in Rome …

J. Edward Putnam

Renee K. Gadoua. "Episcopal priest admits to abuse in Skaneateles." The Post-Standard (August 14, 2007).
A former Skaneateles Episcopal priest … has admitted sexually abusing four adolescent boys while serving as rector of St. James Episcopal Church in Skaneateles from January 1986 to May 1993. …[The Rev. Karen C. Lewis, assistant to Bishop Gladstone "Skip" Adams] would not describe the incidents but said some of them occurred in the church at 96 E. Genesee St., Skaneateles.

Joseph Kennedy Ragland

"Preacher accused of rape." Daily Record (May 4, 2009).
The 47 year-old minister is accused of raping a 16-year-old girl who is a member of his church …

Luis Eduardo Ramirez

Rachanee Srisavasdi. "Priest who tried to grope boy won't serve ministry." The Orange County Register (April 7, 2009).
Rev. Luis Eduardo Ramirez, who used to be assigned to Our Lady of the Pillar parish in Santa Ana, pleaded guilty in June to taking a 17-year-old boy to a motel room and trying to touch him.

Shawn Ratigan

A. G. Sulzberger and Laurie Goodstein. "Bishop indicted; charge is failing to report abuse." New York Times (October 14, 2011).
The indictment of the bishop, Robert W. Finn, and the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph by a county grand jury was announced on Friday. Each was charged with one misdemeanor count involving a priest accused of taking pornographic photographs of girls as recently as this year. … The diocese said that Monsignor Murphy described, but did not share, a single photo of a young girl, nude from the waist down, to a police officer who served on an independent sexual abuse review board for the diocese. … Bishop Finn sent Father Ratigan to live in a convent …

Arthur James Ree

David Unze. "Former pastor receives sentence for sexual abuse." St. Cloud Times (Minnesota) (July 9, 2010).
He admitted during his plea hearing that he had numerous sexual contacts with the girl from late 2001 until June 2003, when the girl was 11-13 years old.

Rudolf Renteria

Darren Barbee. "Man settles sex-abuse suit with Roman Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth." Dallas Star-Telegram (July 1, 2010).
The suit, filed last year in state district court, accused the Rev. Rudolf Rentera of abusing the boy in the rectory at St. Matthew Catholic Church in Arlington … Bishop Kevin Vann has petitioned the Vatican to defrock Renteria …

Larry Reuter

Ken Trainor. "Ascension's pastor finds himself upfront and center as the sex abuse scandal hits close to home." Wednesday Journal of Oak Park and River Forest (IL) (May 11, 2010).
Reuter that morning told [Rev. Larry McNally] about an inappropriate relationship he'd had with a student at Loyola Academy in Wilmette, back when Reuter was rector (1975-1990).

"Second victim comes forward alleging abuse from ex-Loyola chief." Sun-Times Media (May 4, 2010).
A second victim has come forward alleging he was abused by a former Loyola Academy president while he was head of the North Shore high school. … Jesuit officials learned information about the initial 18-year-old victim while reviewing personnel files … said the Rev. Timothy Kesicki, the head of the Chicago Province of the Society of Jesus.

Larry Reynolds

Bob Allen. "Bellevue pastor staying, Texas pastor leaving, over clergy sex-abuse scandals." Ethics Daily (December 22, 2006).
On Nov. 19, as a condition of the settlement agreement, Reynolds read a statement to the church saying: "Twenty years ago, I made a terrible mistake. I realize now that my lapse in judgment caused one of our parishioners great harm."

Bob Allen. "Pastor reportedly settles lawsuit alleging sexual abuse of minor." Ethics Daily (November 20, 2006).
… settlement in principle was reached in a lawsuit filed June 8 against Larry Reynolds, pastor of Southmont Baptist Church in Denton, Texas, alleging years ago he had sexual relations with a girl that began when she was 14 and continued for seven years.

Martin Richter

Pastor arrested on molestation charges." Highland News (February 4, 2010).
Investigators are concerned that there may be other victims and are asking for any information from the public concerning Richter's connection with other children. Call Detective Craig Harris or Deputy Laura Marks at (909) 866-0100.

Santos Adiel Rosado

Pamela Lehman. "Police charge pastor with sexual assault of girl." The Morning Call (Allentown, PA) (August 23, 2010).
A man charged earlier this month with rape of a girl faced new allegations Monday when police charged him with the sexual assault of another girl while he was a pastor at a Bethlehem church.

Martin P. Ryan

Daniel Tepfer. "Bishop Lori admits to keeping in ministry a priest credibly accused of abuse." Connecticut Post (November 17, 2003).
Ryan, pastor of St. Edward the Confessor parish in New Fairfield, has been accused of molesting the girl in the 1970s when she was a member of the Catholic Youth Organization at St. Theresa's Church in Trumbull … She said diocesan officials told her Ryan was having "issues with celibacy."

Alison Leigh Cowan. "New clergy abuse settlement is announced in Bridgeport." New York Times (October 17, 2003).
Of the 16 priests named in Thursday's settlement … only one, Msgr. Martin P. Ryan, is still active … Bishop Lori said he stood by the decision to allow Monsignor Ryan to continue working. "He's not a predator … He's not at all a threat to young people."

Russell Schaller

"Pastor charged with criminal sexual conduct." WXYZ (February 9, 2010).
Russel Schaller was taken into custody Sunday. He currently serves as pastor at Greater St. John's Missionary Baptist Church on Detroit's east side. Police are asking anyone who may have been assaulted by Schaller to come forward.

Sheena Harrison. "Detroit church pastor taken into custody on Sunday, accused of molesting underage boy." MLive.com (February 9, 2010).
Similar accusations have been made about Schaller in the past, but none of them resulted in criminal charges, according to WXYZ. … The News Herald said police suspect that other children who have had inappropriate contact with Schaller. People with information are asked to call the River Rouge Police Department at 313-842-8700.

Thomas Seifner

Nate Birt. "Statement: Former Pilot Grove priest on leave amid investigation." Boonville Daily News (January 8, 2010).
… pending investigation of an "allegation of inappropriate electronic communication with a minor" five years ago, a news release from the Diocese of Jefferson City states.

Richard Frank Shaw

Jeff Allen. "Man pleads guilty after alleged sex with girl: A church van driver and former school employee pleads guilty after allegedly having a sexual relationship with a 17 year old girl." WKYT.com (July 28, 2009).
"I believe he preyed on this girl's love for God and Christianity … " says (Bell County Attorney) Ward.

Lakwinder Singh

Adrian Nieoczym. "Charged Sikh priest's arraignment delayed." Kelowna Capital News (April 4, 2009).
He is charged with sexual exploitation, sexual interference and two counts of sexual assault involving a 15-year-old girl.

Nicholas J. Spagnolo

Thomas Farragher and Matt Carroll. "Church board dismissed accusations by females." Boston Globe (February 7, 2003).
The church also appears to have dealt gently with the Rev. Nicholas J. Spagnolo, who was accused in 1992 by a woman who said he made sexual remarks and touched her inappropriately starting in 1960 when she was 15. … The Rev. John B. McCormack, now bishop in Manchester, N.H., … pronounced Spagnolo's conduct "typical of misguided counseling techniques being used in the sixties," according to one church memo.

Brian Spillane

David Marr. "Stannies priest convicted of abuse." Sydney Morning Herald (December 4, 2010).
… Father Brian Spillane, the school chaplain [St Stanislaus College in Bathurst] … was convicted earlier this week on nine counts of sexual assaulting young women …

Joshua Spires

Bob Allen. "Former Okla. pastor sentenced to 10 years for molestation." Associated Baptist Press (October 26, 2009).
A former Southern Baptist pastor in Oklahoma has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after confessing to sexual abuse of a 15-year-old girl who attended his church.

Sheila K. Stogsdill. "Delaware County pastor assaulted girl, 15, on his church desk, affidavit says." NewsOK (August 26, 2009).

Paul St. Charles

Lawrence Buser. "Priest named in abuse cases dies at 70: St. Charles led youth groups; denied claims." The Commercial Appeal (December 29, 2009).
A priest who was a leader of Memphis Catholic youth groups in the 1970s and later was named in multiple lawsuits alleging sexual abuse died Sunday in Nashville.

David G. Stanco

Sam Cooper. "Former choir director, religion teacher faces new allegations: Stanco was leader at Watertown, Thomaston churches." Republican American (May 12, 2010).
Police are investigating two more allegations of sexual abuse involving David G. Stanco, the former choir director at United Methodist Church in Watertown and organist and religious education teacher at St. Thomas Parish in Thomaston.

Gregory Starkey

Eric S. Page and Steven Luke. "Church sued, sex abuse coverup alleged." NBC San Diego (May 11, 2010).
The Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church was sued Monday … Greg Starkey pleaded guilty in 2009 to criminal charges in connection to the molestation of two girls whom he was supervising in the choir …

Greg Moran. "Girls sue church, allege sex abuse: Choir director reportedly fired, rehired." San Diego Union Tribune (May 11, 2010).
Two girls filed suit Monday against Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church … The lawsuit contends that church administrators knew of complaints against the former teacher …

Donald Straub

Shaun Hittle. "Dodge City Diocese says there are ‘credible’ claims of abuse against two former priests." Lawrence-Journal World (July 9, 2010).
There have been six civil lawsuits filed in Missouri between 2004 and 2007 naming Straub and the Archdiocese of St. Louis as defendants.

Charles Sylvestre

Trevor Wilhelm. "Judge blasts diocese for Sylvestre abuse ‘coverup’: Victim awarded $610,000." The Windsor Star (Canada) (April 23, 2011).
A judge has made history in his ruling against the London diocese for its decades-long ‘coverup’ of sex abuse perpetrated by notorious pedophile priest Charles Sylvestre. Justice T. David Little said the church deliberately swept Sylvestre's transgressions under the rug, and that ‘negligence’ resulted in the repeated sexual abuse of Kelly Murphy-Myers. … He was convicted in 2006 of 47 counts of indecent assault involving girls at parishes in Windsor, Sarnia, London, Chatham and Pain Court over four decades. Dozens more victims have since come forward.

Richard T. Szafranski

Denise Ford-Mitchell. "‘It was wrong of me,’ accused priest says." Saginaw News (MI) (April 11, 2006). Available on BishopAccountability archive.
Szafranski, 57, is on administrative leave from Zilwaukee Township's St. Matthew Catholic Church, 511 W. Cornell, while Saginaw County Prosecutor Michael D. Thomas, 58, investigates an allegation … The woman's private counselor told church leaders April 8 that more than 30 years ago, in the mid-1970s when the victim was 16 or 17, she had a sexual relationship with the priest.

Philip Taban

"Visiting priest charged with sexual assault." KVIA.com (September 13, 2007).
The investigation revealed an 18-year old Hispanic female met with Taban for spiritual counseling. During two of these meetings, Taban sexually assaulted the victim … Taban is being held in the El Paso County Jail on a $25,000 bond for each count.

Dean Richard Tarkington

Robin Pyle. "Preacher charged with sending sex video to minor." Lubbock Online (January 6, 2010).
A Lubbock pastor was arrested last week on federal charges after authorities say he sent a lewd sexual video of himself to a 16-year-old girl in Louisiana.

Richard Taylor

Rosemary Shinohara. "Church deacon accused of sexual abuse of a minor 13-year-old: True Vine Ministries defends church leader." Anchorage Daily News (May 13, 2011).
Anchorage police Friday charged Richard Taylor, a 61-year-old deacon at True Vine Ministries, with sexual abuse of a minor. … Each time, Taylor gave the girl $20 to $100, she told police.

Police are asking anyone who thinks their child was abused by Taylor to call Detective Chris Thomas at 786-2628.

Ronald Hernandez Tovar

"Pastor faces more charges in relationship with teen: Placentia man accused of continuing to see 16-year-old girl in violation of court order." The Orange County Register (November 10, 2007).

Dale Tucker

Rebecca S. Green. "Ex-church leader gets 10 years in teen abuse." The Journal Gazette (January 12, 2010).
Dale K. Tucker, 57, pleaded guilty in November in Allen Superior Court to sexual misconduct with a minor, admitting to giving a boy alcohol and performing sex acts on him.

Efrain Uma�a

"Former Iowa, Neb. minister sentenced in sex case: Former Lincoln minister sentenced in sex case." Lincoln Journal Star (April 13, 2011).
Uma�a was convicted by a Pottawattamie County, Iowa, jury in January. … Uma�a was charged with sexually abusing four females. Most of the incidents happened at the Templo Monte Horeb church Umana led in Council Bluffs, Iowa …

Eric Nelson Vancleave

Neighbors shocked at evangelical worker's arrest." WIS TV (Columbia, SC) (February 14, 2010).
Sheriff James Metts believes there are more victims.

"Evangelical ministry worker, substitute teacher accused of molesting boys." WIS TV (Columbia, SC) (February 13, 2010).
A former member of a Cayce evangelical Christian ministry and substitute teacher is accused of molesting four boys on camping trips and at his home. Investigators think there may be more victims.

Jordan Clint Vernon

Sara Leaming. "Another alleged victim comes forward in Post Falls sex abuse case." The Spokesman-Review (January 6, 2010).
Vernon was arrested Dec. 28, accused of having sex with at least two girls, ages 14 and 17, and having inappropriate contact with at least two others, ages 12 and 14, from 2007 to 2009.

Anyone with information about alleged cases of inappropriate conduct involving Jordan Vernon, a former member of Real Life Ministries in Post Falls, should contact Detective Sgt. Dave Beck at (208) 773-6341.

Karam Vir

Rafe Arnott; with files from Glenda Luymes. "Hindu priest fired over sex charges." The Abbotsford Times (November 19, 2010).
The charges against Vir were the result of a nine-month criminal investigation by APD major crime detectives, and because of the circumstances surrounding the incidents, the Crown is looking to raise the age of sexual consent in the case to 18 years … The APD is requesting that anyone with information about these incidents or any other involving Vir, contact officers at 604-859-5225.

Tiffany Crawford. "Abbotsford priest charged with sex crimes." Vancouver Sun (November 16, 2010).
Abbotsford police said they were investigating the allegations of one girl when another girl came forward with similar complaints.

Jeffrey Waisner

Tish Kraft. "Family says church covered for molester." Courthouse News (August 20, 2010).
(Auburn, CA) Church leaders knew their youth pastor, an adult, was sexually molesting a 14-year-old girl … the family claims in Placer County Court. The family says Jeffrey Waisner sexually abused the girl "regularly" since she was 14, at Rocklin Foursquare Church … The church is also known as Crossroads Community Church, and the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel.

Chet Warren

Bill Frogameni. "Toledo native Barbara Blaine crusades against sexual abuse in the Catholic church." Toledo City Paper (April 29, 2004). Article available on BishopAccountability's Documentary History of the Crisis website.
Blaine was 29 when she told her family in 1985 about her abuse … Soon after, the family brought Barbara's allegations to the Oblates of St. Francis DeSales, Father Warren's religious order … Warren stayed in ministry until put on leave in September 1992, shortly before Blaine's story was mentioned on "The Oprah Winfrey Show."

Gregory Washington

Becky Nahm and Michelle Knoll. "Minneapolis church director pleads to sex with teen." KSTP.com (September 15, 2009).
Washington was convicted of having sex with a 15-year-old girl at Zion Baptist Church . . . He admits getting her pregnant … Monday's guilty plea involves the most recent incident and another count for a third relationship with a girl he had back in 1997.

Robert Weber

"Youth pastor indicted on felony charges." NewsWest9 (January 5, 2010).
44-year-old Robert Weber is accused of having sex with a 15-year-old girl he counseled at Second Baptist Church of Odessa.

William Wert

Max Winitz. "Religious group settles with family of allegedly abused teen." My Sun Coast (July 15, 2011).
SARASOTA COUNTY - A religious group out of Illinois has agreed to pay a Nokomis family more than one and a half million dollars after one of its priests was arrested and charged for having a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old boy.

"Church to pay $1.75 million to father over son's abuse." Fox 59 (July 15, 2011).
The Order of the Carmelites, a religious group known for its charitable work, will pay the money on behalf of Father William Wert, 52, who was accused of sexually assaulting the boy in late 2010 and early 2011, a lawyer for the boy's family said.

Ernest Willis

Bob LaPree. "Willis gets 15 to 30 for rape of 15-year-old church member." Union Leader (September 6, 2011).
Ernest Willis, 52, was sentenced to 15 to 30 years behind bars for raping a 15-year-old fellow church member in 1997.

Lynne Touhy. "NH convicted rapist facing 54 years at sentencing." Associated Press (September 5, 2011).
A convicted rapist, accused of impregnating a 15-year-old church member, faces up to 54 years in a New Hampshire prison. Ernest Willis, 52, of Gilford is to be sentenced Tuesday in Merrimack Superior Court. Willis and the teenager, who also babysat his children, attended a fundamentalist Baptist church in Concord that made her apologize to the congregation when she became pregnant.

"Man found guilty of raping girl: Woman says man raped her when she was 15." WMUR.com (Concord, NH) (May 27, 2011).
Ernest Willis, 52, was charged with sexually assaulting Tina Anderson in 1997. Anderson said she was raped twice and became pregnant as a result.

CBS. "Woman: Church covered up my rape as teen, says Deacon impregnated her in '97; Church Elders blamed her; Alleged rapist now under arrest; Pastor at time denies cover-up." CBS News (May 29, 2010).
A woman now living in Arizona alleges she was raped twice 13 years ago by a prominent member of her church at the time, the fundamentalist Trinity Baptist Church in Concord, N.H. Tina Anderson says the rapes resulted in her becoming pregnant when she was only 15.

Lynne Tuohy. "Woman in rape case says pastor advised she be ‘church-disciplined’." Union Leader (May 27, 2010).
Tina Anderson was a scared 15-year-old when she was summoned by church leaders to stand before her congregation and apologize for getting pregnant out of wedlock. … She placed her daughter, born in March 1998, up for adoption at [Pastor Chuck Phelps] urging, with a family he had chosen.

Trent Spiner. "Police: Girl raped, then relocated." Concord Monitor (NH) (May 25, 2010).
After being raped and impregnated by a fellow churchgoer more than twice her age, a 15-year-old Concord girl was forced by Trinity Baptist Church leaders to stand before the congregation to apologize before they helped whisk her out of state, according to the police.

"Police say church's actions thwarted rape investigation: Man charged with rape after alleged victim found 13 years later." WMUR.com (May 25, 2010).
A man has been charged with raping a woman when she was a teenager 13 years ago and the two were members of the same church … Police said their original investigation of rape allegations in 1997 was disrupted because the victim's parents arranged with church leaders to move her out of the state when she became pregnant.

Dwayne Wilson

Ryan Poe. "Music minister charged with rape of girl, 16: Pastor cites forgiveness, lets accused remain in his job." The Commercial Appeal (November 29, 2009).
The music minister of a local Church of God in Christ congregation remains in his post after being charged with statutory rape involving a 16-year-old choir member.

Aaron Witcher

Jessica Miller. "Pastor Soulja may have more victims." Standard-Examiner (Roy, Utah) (November 18, 2010).
Police have identified four more possible victims of sexual misconduct by Aaron Witcher, a 38-year-old pastor from Roy. Witcher, a Christian hip-hop singer also known as Pastor Soulja, was charged two weeks ago with eight counts of rape after a police investigation into allegations he had a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old girl.

Scott Dewayne Wright

Camille C. Spencer. "Former youth pastor seduced teen, Pasco petition says." St. Petersburg Times (April 1, 2009).

Robert Yurgel

Gary Wright. "Charlotte diocese pays $1 million to sex abuse victim." The News and Observer (May 8, 2010).
Robby Price was a 14-year-old altar boy in 1999 when a Catholic priest in Charlotte molested him … Price agreed to reveal his identity so other victims might come forward and tell their stories.

Gary L. Wright. "Catholic diocese to pay $1 million to molestation victim." Charlotte Observer (May 7, 2010).
In settling the lawsuit, the Catholic diocese denied any liability.

Minister not named

Rick Stillion. "Woman says she was sexually assaulted by priest." The Daily Jeffersonian (December 31, 2008).
A Cambridge woman is reportedly alleging she was sexually assaulted by a Catholic priest in the 1980s while she was a 15-year-old high school student … the priest's attorney threatened to file a lawsuit against Mercer if she spoke publicly for the first time about the alleged crimes. See also online reader comments.