Ohio Priests Accused of Abuse

The menace of clergy child sexual abuse has deeply impacted the Roman Catholic Church in Ohio, revealing a troubling history of misconduct, cover-ups, and alleged child sexual abuse. The widespread issue of accused priests within the Catholic diocese has shattered the trust of many parishioners and brought immense pain to sexually abused survivors and their families.

Injury Lawyer Team is dedicated to helping child sexual abuse survivors and seeking justice for those affected, providing expert legal assistance to survivors so that they can rebuild their lives and hold credibly accused clergy with substantiated allegations accountable for their crimes.

Ohio Catholic Diocese Priest Sex Abuse List

Archdiocese of Cincinnati OH

G.R. Keith Albrecht

• Sued
  

Expelled by the Franciscans, Albrecht was ordained for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati in 1977. In 1993 he was placed on leave following an accusation of sexual abuse involving a teenage boy. During subsequent proceedings, he admitted to engaging in sexual behavior with four youths. Civil litigation followed the disclosure of these admissions, and he was removed from active ministry.

Al Behm

• Accused
  

Behm was accused of sexually abusing a boy in North Carolina over an extended period that continued through much of the victim’s college years. The allegations describe Behm cultivating a paternal role while maintaining ongoing abuse. The conduct was reported as involving repeated exploitation rather than isolated incidents, with no indication of reinstatement or clerical discipline beyond public identification.

John B. Berning

• Sued
  

At least seven plaintiffs filed civil lawsuits against Berning in 2003 alleging sexual abuse. Berning admitted to abusing one youth and was alleged to have abused others during his ministry. The lawsuits prompted his removal from clerical roles, and the record reflects multiple claims arising from separate incidents rather than a single accusation.

Joseph Malloy

• Accused
  

Malloy was named publicly as accused by the St. John the Baptist Franciscans on their June 18, 2022 list of members with substantiated allegations. The designation followed internal review rather than criminal proceedings. Malloy died in 1992, and the allegations were disclosed posthumously through the order’s public accounting.

Thomas J. Brunner

• Sued
  

Brunner was suspended in 2003 after allegations that he sexually abused two girls while associated with Mount Notre Dame High School. Civil suits were filed but later dismissed due to the statute of limitations. He was laicized in 2006, formally ending his clerical status following the unresolved allegations.

George Cooley

• Convicted
  

The archdiocese was aware of abuse complaints involving Cooley as early as 1971, with additional reports in 1978. He remained in ministry for years before eventual laicization in 1998. By 2019, Cooley was living near Sharonville, Ohio, and working as a bartender, following criminal conviction and removal from clerical life.

Ronald C. Cooper

• Accused
  

A man accused Cooper of inappropriate sexual touching on multiple occasions in Bridgetown during 1983 and 1984. Cooper denied sexual intent in response to the allegations. The accusations involved repeated contact rather than a single incident, and the matter resulted in his public identification as accused by church authorities.

Stanley D. Doerger

• Accused
  

Doerger was accused of sexually abusing up to 275 female students while working at St. Rita School for the Deaf. In March 2005, he was placed on leave following the emergence of extensive allegations spanning multiple years. The scope of reported abuse prompted formal removal from active duties pending further action.

Geoffrey Drew

• Convicted
  

Drew was placed on leave after sending inappropriate text messages to at least one boy at a parish school. Records show earlier complaints in 2013 and 2015 regarding similar behavior at a prior parish. In 2005, forty boys reported inappropriate touching, though they were compelled to apologize to him at the time. He was later convicted.

Edward J. Dury

• Accused
  

A Marianist brother of the Province of Cincinnati, Dury professed vows in 1920 and served in Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, and Hawaii. He died in 1974. His name was included on the Marianists’ June 24, 2020 list of members found to have sexually abused a minor, based on posthumous review.

Bill Early

• Accused
  

Early was named credibly accused by the Glenmary order on October 11, 2019. His ministry spanned multiple states, including Georgia, Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, California, and Washington, DC. He was later included on the Archdiocese of Atlanta’s list in November 2020, reflecting recognition across jurisdictions.

Robert J. Erpenbeck

• Accused
  

Erpenbeck was publicly identified as accused by the Jesuits Midwest Province on December 17, 2018. He had previously been included on the Archdiocese of Cincinnati’s list in February 2014. The allegations concerned abuse during his Jesuit service and were disclosed through coordinated provincial and diocesan reporting.

Thomas F. Feldhaus

• Sued
  

Feldhaus was removed from ministry in 2003 after an accusation that he abused a youth in 1979. Civil litigation followed the disclosure of the allegation. The record reflects his removal from active clerical duties as a direct response to the accusation, with no subsequent reinstatement noted.

John Ferone

• Accused
  

Ferone was removed from his position at St. Xavier High School after an allegation of solicitation. At the time, he served as director of adult faith and Ignatian programming. The removal followed internal review rather than criminal proceedings, and his name was publicly associated with the allegation through institutional disclosure.

John P. Finke

• Accused
  

Finke served as a priest, military chaplain, and parish priest before being named publicly as accused by the U.S. Province Marianists on June 24, 2020. The listing followed internal investigation and placed him among Marianist members found to have sexually abused a minor during their ministry.

Ellis N. Harsham

• Settled
  

Harsham was accused of engaging in oral sex with two high school students and abusing several boys. He was placed on administrative leave in 1994. After years of restriction, he was laicized in 2006. Civil claims related to the allegations were resolved through settlement rather than trial.

Norman L. Heil

• Sued
  

In 2004, a woman alleged that Heil sexually abused her when she was 16 years old. She further reported being pressured by a nun to relinquish a child resulting from the abuse. Heil had left the priesthood around 1967, and the allegations later became the subject of civil litigation.

Thomas R. Hopp

• Sued
  

Hopp was suspended in 2002 following an accusation of sexual abuse involving a boy in 1980. The Vatican permanently removed him from ministry in 2005. A related civil suit was dismissed in 2006. He died in 2014, years after his formal separation from clerical status.

Kenneth Bernard Hendricks

• Charged
  

Known as Brother Pius Hendricks, he was a Franciscan brother accused of sexually abusing ten boys in the Philippines, some as young as seven. Criminal proceedings were initiated, but he died while on trial for the abuse of two brothers, leaving the charges unresolved at his death.

Bernard L. Horst

• Accused
  

Horst faced multiple reports of inappropriate sexual behavior toward girls aged nine to thirteen. Criminal charges were dropped after a polygraph test was deemed inconclusive, though law enforcement considered further action. Marianist officials reported alcohol abuse concerns, and Horst was sent for treatment during the period of allegations.

Vaclovas Katarskis

• Accused
  

A woman filed a police report accusing Katarskis of sexually abusing her on multiple occasions between 1960 and 1961, when she was ten and eleven years old. The allegations described repeated misconduct over an extended period and were formally documented through law enforcement reporting.

David J. Kelley

• Sued
  

At least thirty-eight men filed civil suits against Kelley alleging rape, forced oral sex, and other abuse committed when they were minors. Despite the volume of accusations, Kelley was transferred to a new parish in 1983. He was ultimately removed from ministry in 2002 following sustained disclosures.

James G. Kiffmeyer

• Settled
  

In 2002, a man accused Kiffmeyer of abuse, but the statute of limitations had expired, and the church asserted the accuser was over eighteen at the time. Despite these defenses, the church paid to settle the claim, resolving the matter without litigation.

Walter A. Klick

• Accused
  

A Marianist brother of the Cincinnati Province, Klick served in high schools across Cincinnati, Washington DC, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Brooklyn, and Baltimore. He was publicly identified as accused through Marianist disclosures, reflecting allegations tied to his long career in secondary education.

Thomas A. Kuhn

• Convicted
  

Kuhn was assigned to Elder High School for over twenty years before leaving in 1988. Reports of inappropriate touching of boys surfaced in 1994 and 1997, yet he remained in ministry. He was finally placed on leave in 2002 and later convicted following criminal proceedings.

Raymond E. Larger

• Acquitted
  

In 2003, Larger pleaded no contest to soliciting sex from an undercover male police officer. He was placed on administrative leave from 2005 to 2008. Following Vatican review, he was reinstated in 2008 after a determination that the underlying allegations lacked merit.

Joachim Lux

• Accused
  

Lux was named publicly as accused by multiple jurisdictions, including the Diocese of Wichita, the Archdiocese of New Orleans, the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, and Franciscan authorities. His name was also included in the Illinois Attorney General’s report, reflecting cross-diocesan recognition of allegations.

Francis A. Masserella

• Accused
  

Ordained for the Glenmary Home Missioners, Masserella left the order in 1945, became a Trappist monk in Kentucky for six years, then joined the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. He was removed from ministry in 2003 following allegations of abusing girls approximately fifty years earlier.

Frederick F. Mathues

• Accused
  

A Marianist educator, Mathues was named publicly as accused on the Marianists’ list in 2020. He died in 1972 at age fifty-one. The allegations were disclosed posthumously through the order’s review of historical records concerning abuse of minors.

Michael Montgomery

• Accused
  

Franciscan authorities were aware of two incidents of improper contact with male students in the 1980s involving Montgomery. Despite this knowledge, he continued working as an athletic trainer at Roger Bacon High School. He was eventually removed from active ministry in 2002.

Donald O. Nastold

• Accused
  

Nastold was named publicly as accused by the Jesuits Midwest Province on December 17, 2018. The disclosure followed internal review of historical allegations. He died on April 12, 2007, and the accusations were made public after his death.

Edward J. O’Brien

• Accused
  

O’Brien was identified as accused by the Jesuits Midwest Province on December 17, 2018. He died on February 16, 1983. The allegation of abuse was disclosed decades later as part of the Jesuits’ effort to publicly account for substantiated claims involving deceased members.

Charles O’Neill

• Accused
  

O’Neill was a Franciscan friar publicly named as accused by the St. John the Baptist Province. The designation followed internal review by the order rather than criminal proceedings. He was deceased at the time his name was disclosed, and the public listing reflected posthumous acknowledgment of allegations connected to his Franciscan ministry.

Michael Paraniuk

• Reinstated
  

A man reported to archdiocesan officials that Paraniuk sexually abused him in 1983. An internal investigation determined the allegation could not be substantiated. Paraniuk was reinstated to ministry following the review and received compensation through the archdiocese’s victim compensation program despite the finding.

Carter Partee

• Accused
  

Partee was named publicly as accused with substantiated allegations by the Franciscans’ St. John the Baptist Province on October 9, 2020. He died in 2010. Following the provincial disclosure, his name was added to multiple diocesan and religious-order lists documenting clergy with substantiated abuse allegations.

Daniel Pater

• Settled
  

A woman reported that Pater sexually abused her beginning at age fourteen in the early 1980s while assigned to St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Kettering. Civil claims were resolved through settlement. In 2014, the Vatican imposed a life of prayer and penance, removing him from active ministry.

Edward L. Pigott

• Accused
  

Pigott was included on a 2018 Jesuit list identifying members with established allegations of sexual abuse. He served at St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati from 1992 to 1994. The list documents multiple allegations spanning several periods between 1973 and 1997 across different assignments.

David F. Reilly

• Indicted
  

After an allegation of improper contact was made, Reilly was investigated by a three-priest tribunal. The tribunal cleared him of wrongdoing, and he was restored to active ministry. The record reflects the accusation, internal adjudication, and reinstatement rather than criminal prosecution or permanent restriction.

Thomas Richstatter

• Accused
  

Richstatter was a member of the Franciscan Friars of the St. John the Baptist Province. He was accused of sexual abuse and subsequently removed from ministry. The allegation was addressed through Franciscan disciplinary processes, resulting in his permanent separation from active clerical service.

Lawrence W. Sandman

• Accused
  

Sandman, a Marianist brother of the Cincinnati Province, professed vows in 1944 and served in California, Ohio, and Hawaii. He withdrew from the order in 1959 and died in 2009. His name was included on the Marianists’ June 24, 2020 list of accused members.

Francis A. Russell

• Accused
  

Russell, a Marianist priest, was accused of sexually abusing students in 1978. A former teacher stated the abuse was immediately reported to school officials, though the Marianists reported receiving the complaint only in 1994. Russell died before the allegation was formally documented by the order.

Albert E. Schetter

• Sued
  

Two men filed a civil lawsuit in 2003 alleging Schetter sexually abused them as boys in the early 1960s. The archdiocese reviewed his personnel file and offered counseling to the complainants. The claims proceeded through civil litigation rather than criminal prosecution.

John Schreck

• Accused
  

Schreck was named publicly in January 2021 by the Franciscans’ St. John the Baptist Province as the subject of substantiated allegations of child sexual abuse. He professed final vows in 1966 and died in 2005 in Cincinnati. The allegations were disclosed posthumously.

Kenneth J. Schoettmer

• Convicted
  

Schoettmer was placed on leave in 2001 after admitting to sexual encounters with boys. In 2003, he pleaded guilty to gross sexual imposition and was sentenced to five years of probation. He died in 2014 following criminal conviction and permanent removal from ministry.

Robert W. Schutte

• Accused
  

Schutte worked as a high school teacher, parish priest, and assistant Air Force chaplain. His ministerial privileges were removed after allegations of sexual abuse emerged. He died in 2004 at age eighty-nine, following administrative action that barred further clerical service.

Donald E. Shelander

• Reinstated
  

A man alleged that Shelander sexually abused him in the late 1970s and early 1980s. An internal review concluded the allegation could not be proven. Shelander was reinstated following the investigation, and no permanent disciplinary measures were imposed.

Charles F. Stephney

• Accused
  

Stephney was assigned to a Cincinnati parish before relocating to Brooklyn, New York. He later worked for Rev. George Stallings, who left the Roman Catholic Church and founded the Imani Temple in Washington, DC. Stephney was publicly identified as accused in connection with prior ministry.

Robert A. Stricker

• Accused
  

Stricker, an eighty-four-year-old retired priest, was placed on leave pending investigation of sexual abuse allegations. The archdiocese determined the claims could not be substantiated. Despite the finding, the record documents his temporary removal during the investigative process.

Lawrence Strittmatter

• Sued
  

A former Elder High School principal, Strittmatter was sent for treatment in 1988 following allegations of child abuse dating to 1983. In 2002, he was placed on leave after additional allegations involving two or three youths from the 1970s surfaced. Civil litigation followed.

Joseph P. Tedesco

• Accused
  

Tedesco, a Marianist priest, was accused of sexual misconduct and named publicly as accused by the Marianist Order. The designation followed internal review by the order and resulted in his inclusion on publicly released lists documenting Marianists accused of abusing minors.

Randolph Ernest Thompson

• Accused
  

Thompson was a member of the Brothers of the Christian Schools before joining the Franciscans in 1942. He was removed from ministry in 1967. In 2020, he was added to a list identifying individuals against whom substantiated allegations of sexual abuse had been made.

Richard M. Unwin

• Accused
  

Unwin assisted at parishes in Forest Park, Hamilton, Oxford, Springfield, and McCartyville, later pastoring in Piqua and Tipp City. He also served as principal of Catholic Central High School in Springfield. He was publicly identified as accused in connection with his clerical and educational roles.

Gino Vertassich

• Accused
  

Vertassich was named publicly as credibly accused by the Glenmary order on October 11, 2019. His name was later included on the Archdiocese of Atlanta’s list in November 2020 and the Diocese of Charlotte’s list in December 2019, reflecting multi-diocesan acknowledgment.

David P. Vincent

• Reinstated
  

Vincent was accused by a man of sexual abuse occurring in the 1980s. He denied the allegation. Following internal review, the archdiocese did not substantiate the claim, and Vincent was reinstated to ministry rather than permanently removed.

Broderick Witt

• Charged
  

Witt was a Mount St. Mary’s seminarian when arrested on February 9, 2024, on charges of pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor. The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office had investigated him since September 2023. He was dismissed from Mount St. Mary’s following the arrest.

Diocese of Cleveland OH

Richard A. Arko

• Accused
  

Arrested in 1/2004 on charges of growing marijuana in a church rectory and selling it, Arko later lost his state license to perform massage therapy based on the felony conviction. He resigned from ministry in 2005. Laicization followed on 7/20/2015, closing his clerical status after the criminal case and subsequent administrative actions.

George F. Bailey

• Accused
  

After leaving the priesthood in the late 1980s, Bailey was laicized in 3/2014. He was later included on the Diocese of Cleveland’s list of credibly accused in 6/2019. The record places the separation from ministry first, followed by formal laicization, and then public listing by the diocese years later.

Russell J. Banner

• Accused
  

Placed on leave in 2002 pending review of past allegations, Banner later faced a civil filing in 2004. The suit alleged abuse for two years when the complainant was ages 12–14 and a resident at Parmadale Childrens’ Home. The timeline in the record moves from administrative leave to a later lawsuit describing the alleged abuse period.

Jerry Bals

• Settled
  

At Lake Catholic High School, Bals served as a guidance counselor and librarian when allegations arose that he fondled girls during counseling sessions. A woman sued him in 1993, after which the diocese suspended him, required him to forfeit his teaching credentials, and permanently removed him from ministry. The entry frames the outcome as a resolved matter with settlement.

Raymond B. Bartnikowski

• Accused
  

Placed on leave in 2002, Bartnikowski was accused after three women came forward with allegations of abuse, including spanking. The record presents the administrative action first, then identifies multiple complainants and the nature of the alleged conduct. No other assignments or later outcomes are provided in the entry beyond the 2002 leave.

Kenneth Bogucki

• Accused
  

Named publicly as accused by the Diocese of Cleveland on its list dated 6/21/2019, Bogucki is identified in the record with laicization as an outcome. The sequence reflects public identification on the diocesan list, paired with removal from clerical status through laicization, without additional assignments or allegation timing stated in the summary.

Paul Botty

• Convicted
  

Professed vows in 1980, Botty was removed from public ministry in 1986 and later convicted of sexual battery. He died in 2007 and was listed on the U.S. Marianists list. The entry tracks a progression from religious profession to removal from ministry, then criminal conviction, followed by death and subsequent inclusion on an order list.

Donald P. Brickman

• Sued
  

Assigned to St. Joseph’s in Cuyahoga Falls and St. Bartholomew in Middleburg Heights, Brickman was placed on leave in 2002 due to an allegation of abuse. The record identifies two parish assignments and then the administrative leave date. The status reflects civil action, with the diocesan response recorded as leave pending the allegation.

Henry A. Brockman

• Accused
  

Entering the order on 8/11/1900 and ordained in 1915, Brockman was later named publicly as accused by the Jesuits Midwest Province on its list 12/17/2018. Multiple allegations are described as occurring in the 1950s–1960s while he was assigned to St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland. He died 2/21/1973.

Joseph F. Brodnick

• Accused
  

In 2002, Brodnick was placed on leave after being accused of an inappropriate relationship with a girl in her late teens. The entry states he was permanently removed from ministry. The chronology records the leave as the initial administrative action, followed by a permanent removal decision, tied to the allegation of sexual misconduct with a teenage girl.

Robert C. Broome

• Accused
  

Named publicly as accused by the Jesuits Midwest Province on its list 12/17/2018, Broome is recorded with an assignment history that includes St. Ignatius College Prep in Chicago from 1949 to 1956. The entry situates his public identification within the Jesuit province disclosure, with location and dates provided for a specific prior assignment.

Allen F. Bruening

• Sued
  

Accused of abusing two brothers almost 20 years apart, Bruening’s record notes the diocese said he would receive treatment but instead transferred him to a new high school. He was later removed from ministry and assigned a Life of Prayer and Penance. He died 3/3/2015, with the sequence moving from accusation to transfer, then later restrictions.

Thomas R. Burg

• Accused
  

Burg is described as having been accused of molesting at least one young girl during confession. He was included on the diocese’s list of those against whom there were substantiated allegations in 2002 and again in 2022. The entry emphasizes repeated public listing across two disclosure periods, tied to the same described misconduct context.

John Ciolek

• Accused
  

Named publicly as accused by the Diocese of Cleveland on its list 6/21/2019, Ciolek is identified as deceased, with a death date of 9/25/1986. The record links his public listing to the 2019 disclosure while providing a specific date of death, without further details on assignment history or allegation timing.

John Connor

• Accused
  

Connor was named publicly as accused by the Diocese of Cleveland on its list dated 6/21/2019. He is identified as deceased in the entry. The record provides the disclosure date and status designation, presenting him as part of the diocese’s published list, with no additional narrative detail beyond the fact of death.

Ignatius M. Burrill

• Settled
  

A former student alleged abuse by Burrill from 1952 to 1956. The record then notes he was later listed on the Midwest Jesuit Province list and the IL Attorney General’s Report. The entry frames the allegation period first, followed by later inclusion on public lists, and the status indicates settlement as the disposition for the claim described.

Neil P. Conway

• Sued
  

Conway admitted to molesting at least eight boys from 1968 to 1985. He left the church on total disability in 1987 and was named on the diocese’s list of credibly accused. The sequence tracks admitted misconduct, departure on disability, and later public identification, reflecting both personal acknowledgment and subsequent diocesan listing.

Anselm Deehr

• Sued
  

Deehr, a religious brother, was accused of abuse of a boy in multiple locations: Cleveland, Atlanta, Washington DC, Stirling NJ, Los Angeles, and Adelphi, MD. The entry lists the geographic scope as a defining detail and assigns a civil-litigation status. No dates, assignments, or outcomes beyond the allegation locations are provided in the summary.

Joseph Ehrbar

• Accused
  

Named publicly as accused by the Diocese of Cleveland on its list 6/21/2019, Ehrbar is identified with a death year of 1979. The entry provides the disclosure date and the deceased status, placing him among those publicly named by the diocese, without detailing allegation timing, roles, or specific assignments.

Leonard A. Ferrante

• Accused
  

Listed by the diocese as no longer in active ministry in 2002, Ferrante’s assignments included Borromeo Seminary High School and College from 1967 to 1976 and Lake County Catholic High School from 1972 to 1973. The record presents an inactive-ministry designation alongside specific school roles and dates, defining his work history in diocesan institutions.

Thomas M. Gannon

• Accused
  

A Jesuit priest, Gannon was named publicly as accused of sexual abuse by the Jesuits Midwest Province on its list 12/17/2018. He died 12/19/2011. The entry frames his identification through the Jesuit province disclosure and anchors his record with a precise death date, without additional assignment details in this summary.

Gerald B. Garvey

• Accused
  

Named as accused by the Jesuits Midwest Province on 12/17/2018, Garvey is recorded as having died on 8/3/1960. The entry states there are two reported survivors, tying the public naming to a later disclosure despite his earlier death. The timeline reflects posthumous identification within the order’s published list.

Oscar Gumucio

• Accused
  

Gumucio was named publicly as accused by the Jesuits Midwest Province on its list dated 12/17/2019. The entry provides the disclosure channel and date, situating the record within the Jesuit province’s public listing process. No assignment history, allegation dates, or outcomes are supplied beyond the fact of public naming as accused.

George T. Hovanec

• Accused
  

A woman wrote to Archbishop Pilla stating she was abused as a child by Hovanec. The entry focuses on the form of disclosure and the recipient of the allegation, recording a direct communication to diocesan leadership. No dates, assignments, or administrative outcomes are stated in the summary beyond the allegation being conveyed in writing.

Matthew A. Ischay

• Sued
  

Removed from his position as parochial vicar at St. Paul in Akron, Ischay was placed on administrative leave after a civil suit was filed. The suit was dropped in 10/2011 at the plaintiff’s request due to the statute of limitations. The record tracks the employment action, the leave decision, then the procedural dismissal timing.

John O. Jacoby

• Settled
  

Jacoby was accused of abusing at least six girls in the 1960s. Five claimants settled with the diocese in 2003, though the record states the diocese failed to satisfy the terms of the settlement. The entry presents the allegation scope, then the settlement year and number of claimants, and concludes with the noted dispute over compliance.

Frank Klamet

• Accused
  

Named publicly as accused by the Diocese of Cleveland on its list dated 6/21/2019, Klamet was identified with substantiated abuse. He also appeared on the Archdiocese of Cincinnati’s list in 1/2020. His roles included parish priest, missionary work in El Salvador, and later practice as a family medicine physician. He died on 4/19/2009 at age 57.

Liam Kitt

• Accused
  

Canon William Liam Kitt was named publicly as accused by the Diocese of Cleveland in 2019. At the time of disclosure, he was reported to be 100 years old. The record centers on his public identification by the diocese, without additional details on assignments, allegation dates, or administrative outcomes beyond the status designation.

Edward Kickel

• Accused
  

Monsignor Edward Kickel was known by the nickname “The Feeler” in connection with allegations that he molested girls during religion classes. In 1969, faculty and parents held a meeting regarding the allegations. The parish pastor subsequently barred him from hearing confessions and from teaching religion classes, marking formal restrictions imposed at that time.

Victor M. Lambur

• Accused
  

Named publicly as credibly accused by the Diocese of Cleveland in 1/2022, Lambur was identified posthumously. He died in 1994. The entry reflects later diocesan disclosure of substantiated allegations, with no additional assignment history or allegation timing detailed beyond the public naming and death year.

Joseph P. Labbe

• Accused
  

Labbe’s name appeared on a 2002 list of priests placed on leave because of recent allegations of past abuse. He denied the allegations. The record presents administrative leave as the primary action, paired with his denial, without further outcomes or subsequent changes in clerical status described in the entry.

Joseph J. Lang

• Accused
  

Included on an April 2002 list of priests removed from assignments due to past allegations of abuse, Lang received treatment and was later allowed to return to work. He was subsequently permanently removed from active ministry. The chronology reflects initial removal, treatment and temporary return, followed by final exclusion from ministry.

John A. Leahy

• Sued
  

Leahy was accused of sexually abusing a girl in the mid-1970s at Parmadale Children’s Village. The allegations stated that he forced her and another child to perform sexual acts while other men watched. The record emphasizes the setting, time period, and nature of the alleged abuse, with civil litigation reflected in the status.

Joseph J. Lieberth

• Sued
  

Listed among Cleveland priests previously accused of sexual abuse, Lieberth was returned to ministry after evaluation and treatment. He was later accused of molesting a 17-year-old boy in 1986. The entry documents reinstatement following treatment and then identifies a subsequent allegation tied to a specific year and age.

Martin J. Louis

• Convicted
  

A 20-year-old woman accused Louis of molesting and raping her multiple times when she was age 10. He was sentenced to 5 to 25 years in prison and was laicized. The Diocese of Cleveland listed him as convicted in its 6/2019 disclosure, reflecting both criminal sentencing and removal from clerical status.

Theodore Lucas

• Accused
  

Lucas was placed on medical leave beginning in 3/2014 and later on administrative leave pending a Vatican decision regarding laicization. The record highlights health-related leave followed by formal administrative action, with the outcome tied to a pending determination on removal from the priesthood rather than a completed process.

Thomas J. Luckay

• Accused
  

Luckay’s name appeared on a list of Cleveland priests no longer in active ministry because of past allegations of abuse of minors. The entry identifies his removal from active service as the principal outcome, without detailing specific allegation dates, assignments, or further administrative or judicial actions.

Daniel J. Mangen

• Sued
  

A woman accused Mangen of sexually abusing and raping her over a three-year period in the early 1980s. Mangen admitted being sexually active with adults and minors but denied the woman’s claims. The record presents the allegation timeframe, his admissions regarding sexual activity, and his denial of the specific accusation.

Daniel R. McBride

• Convicted
  

McBride was charged with soliciting a minor and sentenced to three years’ probation for abuse of a 17-year-old boy. He remained on administrative leave until his death in 2015. The entry reflects criminal adjudication, sentencing, and continued restriction from ministry through the end of his life.

Howard J. McDonough

• Accused
  

McDonough was sued in 1993 for allegedly sexually abusing a 14-year-old student roughly 20 years earlier. The lawsuit was dismissed in 1995 due to the statute of limitations. By that time, he was no longer a member of the order, marking his separation from religious life before the suit concluded.

James McGonegal

• Accused
  

Named publicly as credibly accused of child sexual abuse by the Diocese of Cleveland on its list dated 6/21/2019, McGonegal was later laicized in 2022. The record shows public disclosure followed by formal removal from the priesthood, establishing a clear administrative endpoint years after initial listing.

John William McCool

• Accused
  

McCool left the priesthood in the early 1990s and later married. He was subsequently included on the Diocese of Cleveland’s list of credibly accused. The sequence reflects departure from ministry first, followed by later public identification by the diocese in connection with abuse allegations.

J. Brendan McNulty

• Accused
  

Placed on leave in 2003 after allegations of sexual abuse involving several brothers, McNulty later wrote a letter of apology to one brother. He was laicized in 2007. The chronology records administrative leave, acknowledgment through written apology, and eventual removal from clerical status.

Robert D. McWilliams

• Convicted
  

Arrested on charges involving illegal images of minors and sex trafficking, McWilliams was later sentenced to life imprisonment. A separate civil lawsuit was filed by a man alleging sexual abuse over approximately two years beginning when he was 14. The record reflects criminal conviction, incarceration for life, and subsequent civil claims tied to prolonged abuse during adolescence.

Nicholas Francis Monaghan

• Accused
  

For more than four decades, Monaghan served as pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Parma from 1923 through 1967. In early 2008, a woman sought assistance from a Texas diocese regarding alleged abuse. At least six additional women later came forward with similar allegations, leading to his identification as accused long after his active ministry concluded.

John J. Mueller

• Accused
  

Placed on leave in 2002 following allegations of abuse, Mueller was permitted to retire the following year in 2003. An additional allegation involved sexual abuse of an adult woman in 1977. His record reflects administrative action, withdrawal from active ministry, and multiple allegations spanning different periods prior to retirement.

Frederick James Mulica

• Settled
  

An allegation emerged that Mulica abused a 14-year-old altar boy in 1981. He was sent to an alcohol treatment center, reassigned to non-parish duties in 1987, and placed on administrative leave in 2002. The claims were later resolved through settlement following years of restricted assignments and removal from parish ministry.

Anthony J. Muzic

• Sued
  

Muzic was accused of providing alcohol to youths and sexually abusing them, resulting in civil litigation. Despite the lawsuit, the diocese did not include his name on its official list of accused clerics. The record reflects legal action tied to youth misconduct without corresponding public diocesan designation.

Daniel J. Nealon

• Accused
  

Allegations surfaced that Nealon abused a deaf boy during the late 1980s. After investigation, the claims were deemed unsubstantiated, and he was exonerated. He later left the priesthood, married, and pursued a career as an attorney, marking a complete departure from clerical life.

Patrick J. O’Connor

• Convicted
  

Removed from parish duties following allegations, O’Connor was later cleared by the Vatican and returned to active status in 2007. He was subsequently indicted, entered a guilty plea, and received a sentence of 90 days in jail. The record reflects reversal of clerical clearance followed by criminal conviction.

Thomas J. Powers

• Accused
  

Multiple allegations against Powers spanned the 1970s, mid-1980s, and the year 2000. He was dismissed from ministry on July 6, 2001. Powers died on May 31, 2019, at age 74, with the record documenting repeated claims across decades leading to permanent removal from clerical service.

Anthony Rebol

• Accused
  

After an allegation in 1992, Rebol was evaluated and treated. He retired from ministry in 1998, was placed on leave in 2002, and later died in 2017. His record reflects clinical intervention, administrative restriction, and eventual withdrawal from active clerical duties.

John Rebovich

• Settled
  

An incident in 1975 involved improper solicitation of an altar boy. A civil lawsuit filed in 1990 alleged abuse occurring in 1980, followed by additional plaintiffs filing suit in 1992. The claims were resolved through settlement, reflecting repeated allegations across multiple years.

Donald Rooney

• Sued
  

By 2002, four additional women and the father of another individual reported allegations similar to earlier claims against Rooney. One woman filed a class-action lawsuit, which was later dismissed by the court. The record reflects multiple reports, litigation, and eventual judicial dismissal.

Joseph A. Romansky

• Convicted
  

Arrested in 1985 on allegations involving abuse of boys, Romansky was sent to the St. Luke Institute for treatment. He was later reassigned outside the diocese, reached a settlement in 1991, served as a nursing-home chaplain until 2002, and was placed on leave after additional lawsuits were filed.

Edward F. Rupp

• Sued
  

A man alleged Rupp abused him repeatedly as a teenager during the late 1960s and early 1970s. In 2007, the Vatican ordered Rupp’s permanent removal from ministry and imposed a life of prayer and penance. The record reflects clerical discipline following civil allegations.

Robert Ruglovsky

• Convicted
  

A Byzantine-rite Catholic priest, Ruglovsky was accused of abusing at least seven boys over approximately two decades. He was convicted, sentenced to probation and jail time, and required to complete a treatment program. The record reflects long-term abuse followed by criminal adjudication and mandated treatment.

Anthony Schuerger

• Reinstated
  

Named publicly as accused on the diocesan list released June 21, 2019, Schuerger underwent review by diocesan authorities and civil agencies. Following these processes, he was granted use of priestly faculties and awaited reassignment, reflecting reinstatement after investigative review.

Paul F. Rodgers

• Accused
  

Rodgers was publicly identified as the subject of multiple allegations and was dismissed from his religious order in 1982. The record reflects substantiated claims leading to formal separation from religious life decades prior to public disclosure.

Joseph J. Seminatore

• Accused
  

Placed on leave from Parmadale Family Services in 2002 after an allegation of abuse during the individual’s childhood, Seminatore later faced tribunal review. In 2015, the charges were determined not confirmed, and he was granted retirement following years of restricted status.

Julius Slapsak

• Accused
  

Slapsak was named publicly as accused on the diocesan list released June 21, 2019. He had died in 1985, with allegations disclosed posthumously as part of the diocese’s broader public accounting of accused clergy.

Ronald B. Tomicky

• Accused
  

Tomicky served as an Air Force chaplain, missionary in El Salvador, and hospital chaplain. He retired with total and permanent disability and without faculties for public ministry. The record reflects clerical restriction and permanent removal from active public ministry.

Martin Van Trieste

• Sued
  

Trieste was accused of abusing two boys who were members of the Little Martins, a touring singing group. Civil litigation followed the allegations, documenting claims tied to his involvement with youth performance activities.

James A. Viall

• Accused
  

Placed on leave in July 2002 following allegations involving minors, Viall retired in 2005 without ministry privileges. He was included on the diocese’s list of credibly accused in 2019, reflecting permanent restriction from clerical service.

Jeffrey M. Weaver

• Accused
  

In 1997, the diocese stated Weaver engaged in exploitative behavior involving teenage boys, including inappropriate advances after they reached adulthood. In 2012, he was returned to ministry, and by 2018 he was celebrating Latin Mass and assisting on weekends.

David C. Weber

• Accused
  

Weber was placed on leave in 2002 following allegations of past abuse. He was later laicized in 2016 and included on the diocese’s list of credibly accused in 2019, marking formal removal from the priesthood.

Carl C. Wernet

• Sued
  

In 1992, a woman alleged abuse during her childhood by Wernet. Seven additional women later filed suit, followed by further individuals reporting similar claims. The record reflects multiple allegations across years leading to extensive civil litigation.

John A. Wittreich

• Accused
  

Wittreich was named publicly as accused on the diocesan list released June 21, 2019. He had died in 2004, with allegations disclosed posthumously as part of the diocese’s public reporting.

Dennis T. Wirks

• Accused
  

Wirks was included on a diocesan list of priests removed from active ministry due to allegations involving minors. The record reflects administrative removal from ministry following claims of misconduct.

Joseph N. Williams

• Convicted
  

Williams left the priesthood in the late 1970s and later became an attorney. In 1992, he was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole for abuse involving an 8-year-old boy. Additional convictions involved abuse of another minor during the 1980s.

Diocese of Colorado Springs CO

Thomas Kloppenborg

• Accused
  

During the 1970s, a Vincentian priest, Kloppenborg engaged in what church records described as a consensual relationship with a youth. He was removed from parish assignment in 2002 and reassigned to administrative work at the Vincentian Order’s headquarters. He remained there until his death in 2007, with no return to parish ministry following his removal.

Charles Robert Manning

• Acquitted
  

Transferred to Colorado, Manning was removed from St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish after allegations involving a 15-year-old boy. He was arrested and later acquitted of sexual abuse charges, though found guilty of providing marijuana and alcohol to the minor. Manning retired due to declining health and received a sentence of four years’ probation following the substance-related conviction.

Diocese of Columbus OH

Ronald J. Atwood

• Settled
  

After an allegation of sexual abuse, Atwood was removed from priestly ministry without faculties. His name appeared on Attorney Garabedian’s roster of clerics identified in civil matters that ended through settlements or arbitration awards. The record reflects removal from active ministry, loss of faculties, and inclusion in public lists tied to resolved civil claims.

Hector Bellinato

• Accused
  

Named publicly as accused on the Diocese of Columbus list released 3/1/2019, Bellinato was last indexed in the 1969 Official Catholic Directory. He is deceased. The entry reflects posthumous public identification by the diocese, without additional detail in the summary regarding assignments, dates of alleged conduct, or legal outcomes.

Thomas M. Bennett

• Settled
  

Bennett worked as a priest, administrator, archivist, and teacher, and was accused of sexually abusing a freshman boy multiple times during 2002–2003 at St. Charles Preparatory. By 11/2018, a second former student had come forward. The record reflects allegations tied to a school setting and subsequent resolution through settlement.

Thomas J. Brosmer

• Accused
  

At St. Cecilia in Columbus, Brosmer was removed from assignment in 2012 after allegations of abuse surfaced. A diocesan review board assessed the matter and found the allegations credible. The chronology centers on the 2012 removal from ministry duties and the internal credibility finding tied to the reported conduct.

James Csaszar

• Accused
  

James Csaszar served as pastor of Resurrection in New Albany after a long tenure as pastor of St. Rose in New Lexington. In 12/2017, he took his own life and left suicide notes. He denied sexual contact with any child or adult. The profile reflects the pastoral assignments, the date of death, and the stated denial.

Michael Ellifritz

• Accused
  

In 2002, Ellifritz retired for health reasons after acknowledging improper contact with a boy. He remained out of active ministry afterward and died in 2021. The timeline reflects an admission leading to retirement, a removal from regular ministerial function, and a later death, with the misconduct framed as acknowledged improper contact.

Roger Emmert

• Accused
  

Publicly listed as accused by the Diocese of Columbus on 3/1/2019, Emmert died on 2/1/1997. The entry reflects that the allegation and public identification occurred after his death, with the listing date and death date forming the key chronological markers, without added detail on assignments or case outcomes in the summary.

Harry Estadt

• Accused
  

For roughly four decades starting in 1935, Monsignor Estadt served at St. Thomas the Apostle, later appearing on the Diocese of Columbus accused list released 3/1/2019. He died on 3/15/1991. The record emphasizes a long-term parish assignment, later public naming by the diocese, and the date of death.

Joseph N. Fete

• Settled
  

Monsignor Fete was accused of sexually abusing a teenage boy over a four-year span, 1976–1979. He was laicized in 2005 or 2006, and the matter is reflected as resolved through settlement. The chronology ties the alleged period of abuse to later canonical removal from the clerical state and civil resolution.

Kenneth France-Kelly

• Accused
  

A former Dominican priest, France-Kelly was named publicly as accused on the Diocese of Columbus list dated 3/1/2019. The summary notes the alleged abuse occurred outside the diocese’s territory. The profile centers on public designation by the diocese, prior religious-order status, and the location note attached to the allegation.

John Joseph Gamba

• Accused
  

Born in Italy and ordained there for the Dominican Order, Gamba worked in the Diocese of Columbus from the 1950s, retired in 1985, and died 11/21/2009 at age 93. He was publicly identified by the diocese in 9/2019 as credibly accused. The record reflects international ordination, local ministry, retirement, death, and later public naming.

John A. Geiger

• Accused
  

A pastor, teacher, and editor of the diocesan newspaper, Geiger was named publicly as accused on the Diocese of Columbus list released 3/1/2019. He died of cancer on 3/23/1995. The profile links his varied diocesan roles to later public identification, with the allegation noted without additional case detail beyond the listing and death information.

Michael F. Hanrahan

• Convicted
  

A resignation in 1993 followed criminal proceedings tied to conduct from 1983–1984. Hanrahan pleaded guilty to molesting a boy, while prosecution did not proceed on allegations involving the boy’s two older brothers. The civil claim was resolved through settlement, and later records reflect that he was no longer required to register as a sexual predator.

Robert E. Hayden

• Convicted
  

Known as Brother Robert Hayden and also using the name “Paul” Hayden, he worked with disabled and homeless populations in multiple cities. In Columbus, Ohio, he was sentenced to one year in prison for sexually abusing men with intellectual disabilities at a group home. The case reflects a criminal conviction, incarceration, and victims connected to a care setting.

David Heimann

• Accused
  

From 1958 to 1961, Heimann served on staff at the Pontifical College Josephinum Seminary in Columbus, Ohio. He was dismissed after being found to be running a sex ring involving high school boys. Laicization followed in 1963. The timeline reflects seminary employment, removal after the misconduct finding, then canonical separation from the clerical state.

Louis E. Hoffman

• Accused
  

Publicly listed as accused by the Diocese of Columbus on 3/1/2019, Hoffman died on 12/7/1975. The entry reflects that the allegation was received after his death, with the diocesan disclosure occurring decades later. No additional assignment history, complainant detail, or legal outcome appears in the provided summary beyond the listing and dates.

Robert Hunt

• Accused
  

Hunt was named publicly as accused on the Diocese of Columbus list released 3/1/2019 and is deceased. The profile centers on posthumous public identification by the diocese, with no additional detail provided here on assignments, alleged timeframes, complainants, or legal outcomes beyond the listing status.

James L. Hutson

• Guilty plea
  

Ordained in 1982 and assigned to St. Paul’s in Westerville, Hutson pleaded guilty to molesting a boy under 13. He received a two-year prison sentence and died in 1998. The record reflects early clerical assignment, a criminal guilty plea, incarceration, and death, with the conviction tied to abuse of a minor.

Timothy Keane

• Accused
  

On 3/1/2019, the Diocese of Columbus publicly listed Keane as accused. His assignments included locations in Massachusetts, California, and Ohio, and he later left the priesthood and married. He died in Florida in 2011 at age 90. The chronology reflects multi-state ministry, departure from clerical life, and later death.

Philip J. Jacobs

• Convicted
  

In 2010, Jacobs was arrested as he disembarked from a plane in Victoria, British Columbia, after allegations surfaced in Columbus, Ohio. He was found guilty in 2013 of sexually touching a boy and sentenced to two years’ probation with a five-month conditional sentence. The record reflects cross-border arrest, a later conviction, and noncustodial sentencing terms.

Raymond E. Lavelle

• Accused
  

A report alleged Lavelle raped a 14-year-old altar boy in 1997 inside the sacristy at St. Joan of Arc in Powell, Ohio. The diocesan review board found the allegation credible and warranted further investigation. The profile reflects a specific location and year tied to the allegation, plus an internal credibility determination and investigative referral.

Frederick A. Loyd

• Accused
  

While assigned to St. Francis de Sales in Newark, Ohio, a 15-year-old boy was allegedly sexually abused for two years beginning in 1985. Loyd was removed from active ministry in 2006. The timeline ties the alleged conduct to a parish assignment, then reflects a later administrative outcome removing him from ministerial service.

Robert H. Luchi

• Accused
  

Publicly listed as accused by the Diocese of Columbus on 3/1/2019, Luchi was noted to have left ministry and later died on 11/25/2017. The record reflects departure from active clerical service prior to death, followed by a posthumous diocesan disclosure that identifies him in the accused category.

Kevin Lutz

• Accused
  

An allegation of sexual abuse of a 14-year-old boy in 1984 led to Lutz being placed on leave. The record reflects a minor victim age, a specific year tied to the reported conduct, and an administrative response that removed him from duties. No further disposition is included in the summary beyond the leave action.

Bernard J. McClory

• Accused
  

The Diocese of Columbus named McClory publicly as accused on 3/9/2019. He retired in 1997 and died on 11/21/2015, with his obituary noting service on diocesan boards, committees, and commissions. The profile reflects retirement, later death, and posthumous inclusion on an accused list tied to diocesan disclosure.

Dean A. Mathewson

• Accused
  

A priestly leave followed an allegation that Mathewson sexually abused a minor. The record reflects an administrative step removing him from assignment after the allegation surfaced. No additional information is provided here about dates, locations, complainant details, criminal proceedings, canonical penalties, or later outcomes beyond the leave action.

Thomas L. McLaughlin

• Convicted
  

McLaughlin pleaded guilty to sexually molesting a 12-year-old boy and received an 18-month prison sentence. After release, he was laicized. The chronology reflects a criminal conviction and incarceration followed by canonical removal from the clerical state, with the offense tied to a minor child and resolved through a guilty plea.

Samuel E. Ritchey

• Accused
  

In 2016, a man spoke publicly about being molested by Ritchey at age 16. The introduction occurred through the man’s mother, a cousin of then newly ordained and later Bishop Nienstedt, who brought Ritchey into the boy’s life. The profile reflects the age at the time of alleged abuse, the year of disclosure, and the connection pathway.

Francis R. Schaefer

• Sued
  

Allegations describe abuse of six boys at a parish beginning in 1962, with no recorded action taken until 1970. After that delay, Schaefer was moved to a new parish, where further alleged abuse occurred from 1970 through 1975. Civil litigation followed years later, reflecting claims tied to multiple locations and timeframes and asserting repeated misconduct across successive parish assignments.

David Schilder

• Accused
  

Administrative action began in 9/2019, when Schilder was placed on leave following allegations of sexual abuse. In 12/2019, the Diocese of Columbus publicly identified him as credibly accused. His name was later included on the Diocese of Lexington’s list updated 3/5/2020, reflecting recognition across diocesan jurisdictions and continuation of restrictions pending further disposition.

Robert R. Schmidt

• Accused
  

A monsignor who died on 11/29/2004, Schmidt was publicly named as accused by the Diocese of Columbus on 3/1/2019. The allegation was received after his death, with no contemporaneous disciplinary action during his lifetime reflected in the record. The disclosure situates the claim posthumously within the diocese’s public accounting of accused clergy.

Fintan Shaffer

• Settled
  

In 1985, allegations arose that Brother Fintan abused residents of a home for individuals with intellectual disabilities in Columbus, Ohio. The matter proceeded through civil channels and was resolved by settlement in 1997. The record reflects institutional care settings, multiple residents as alleged victims, and a non-trial resolution more than a decade after initial reports.

Theodore J. Spires

• Accused
  

Known as “Ted,” Spires was publicly named as accused by the Diocese of Columbus on 3/1/2019. He was laicized and is deceased, with the allegation noted as having been received after his death. The profile reflects posthumous disclosure, canonical separation from the clerical state, and inclusion on the diocesan list without further legal proceedings.

Alan M. Sprenger

• Accused
  

Sprenger was publicly identified as accused by the Diocese of Columbus on 3/1/2019. The allegation was received after his death, resulting in posthumous inclusion on the diocesan list. No contemporaneous administrative or legal actions during his lifetime are reflected here beyond the later disclosure and classification.

John P. Tague

• Accused
  

Publicly named as accused by the Diocese of Columbus on 3/1/2019, Tague died on 6/15/1983. The allegation was recorded after his death, with the disclosure occurring decades later as part of diocesan reporting. The profile reflects posthumous identification without recorded disciplinary action during his lifetime.

George Tumeo

• Accused
  

Tumeo was publicly named as accused by the Diocese of Columbus on 3/1/2019 and was laicized. The record reflects canonical removal from the clerical state and later public disclosure by the diocese, without additional detail here on dates of alleged conduct, assignments, or civil proceedings.

Martin Weithman

• Settled
  

Placed on leave in 2002 after an allegation that he molested a teenage boy over a six-year period in the late 1980s, Weithman later underwent canonical proceedings. He was laicized in 2005. The matter concluded through settlement, reflecting prolonged alleged conduct, administrative removal, and subsequent separation from the priesthood.

Lisa Zuccarelli

• Accused
  

A woman alleged that Zuccarelli molested her in 1982 while she was a student at Fisher Catholic High School in Lancaster. The religious order removed Zuccarelli from ministry and imposed restrictions barring unsupervised contact with minors and former students. The record reflects school-based allegations, administrative removal, and ongoing limitations on contact.

Diocese of Steubenville OH

Elwood “Woody” Bernas

• Accused
  

Public identification occurred on 10/31/2018, when the Diocese of Steubenville listed Bernas as accused. He had been suspended from ministry in 1986 and later relocated to Minneapolis, Minnesota. After leaving active clerical work, he became a therapist and was employed at the Hazelden Center, working with chemically dependent men. The record reflects long-term separation from ministry prior to public disclosure.

Kenneth P. Bonadies

• Settled
  

Ordained for the Diocese of Steubenville, Bonadies spent approximately four years on leave before being assigned in 1980 to St. Bartholomew’s Parish in Manchester, Connecticut. He was later removed from ministry, with that removal reflected by 2018. Civil claims related to abuse were resolved through settlement. Bonadies died in August 2021, closing the matter without criminal adjudication.

Robert A. Brown

• Accused
  

Allegations state that Brown abused a boy during a rectory overnight in 1970 and later abused three of the boy’s cousins on separate occasions. He retired from ministry in 1984. Brown died in 1991. The claims describe multiple victims and incidents spanning family relationships, with no record of criminal prosecution reflected before his death.

Vincent B. Danko

• Accused
  

Danko was first publicly named as accused by the Diocese of Steubenville on 10/31/2018. Records note that he had been suspended from ministry as early as 1971. He remained outside active clerical service thereafter. Danko died on 11/25/1991, decades before the diocese’s public disclosure of the allegations.

Christopher Foxhoven

• Convicted
  

Serving as pastor of Holy Cross and St. Mary of the Hill, Foxhoven was suspended in 2018 after admitting sexual contact and abuse involving a minor. He impregnated a 17-year-old girl and was charged with eight counts of sexual battery. Foxhoven entered a guilty plea and was sentenced to twelve years in prison, marking a criminal conviction and permanent removal from ministry.

Simeon Daniel Mulkern

• Indicted
  

Mulkern was publicly identified in 4/2019 by Franciscan University of Steubenville as credibly accused following a review of clergy misconduct involving unwanted sexual advances toward students dating back to the late 1960s. He had died in 2016. The disclosure situates the allegations within a broader institutional review rather than a criminal proceeding.

Mark J. Froehlich

• Accused
  

The Diocese of Steubenville removed Froehlich from active ministry in 2018 after receiving allegations deemed credible. Ordained earlier and named a monsignor in 1987, he retired on 1/31/2014. He later served as a finance officer for the St. Vincent de Paul Society in Barnesville and was active in the Rotary Club prior to removal.

Harold J. Goschke

• Accused
  

Goschke was first named publicly as accused on the Steubenville diocesan list dated 10/31/2018. He had been suspended from ministry in 1957. By 1966, records show him working in parishes within the Diocese of Stockton, California. The timeline reflects early suspension followed by later out-of-state assignments before public disclosure.

Kenneth L. Harris

• Accused
  

Public identification occurred on 10/31/2018, when the Diocese of Steubenville listed Harris as accused. He had been suspended from ministry in 1963. Harris died on 6/22/1964, meaning the allegation and its substantiation were disclosed posthumously, with no contemporaneous legal or ecclesiastical resolution during his lifetime.

Michael D. Hellmer

• Accused
  

A monsignor, Hellmer was first publicly named as accused on the Diocese of Steubenville’s list released 10/31/2018. Records note that he was suspended from ministry in 1989. He later died in Florida in 1996. The case reflects suspension during life and public disclosure decades after the initial disciplinary action.

John Holmes

• Accused
  

Holmes was first publicly identified as accused on the Diocese of Steubenville’s list dated 10/31/2018. He had been suspended from ministry in 1989. He is deceased. The disclosure places the allegation within the diocese’s retrospective accounting of clergy removed from ministry prior to public reporting.

Robert F. Marrer

• Accused
  

In 1995, Marrer was accused of sexually abusing, including raping, a young girl between ages three and six during the years 1967 to 1970. He took a leave of absence in 1971 and died in 1996. Marrer was later included on the Steubenville diocesan list released 10/31/2018.

Joseph A. Martinkosky

• Accused
  

Martinkosky was first publicly named as accused by the Diocese of Steubenville on its 10/31/2018 list. Records indicate he had been suspended from ministry in 1991. The disclosure reflects acknowledgment of earlier disciplinary action and subsequent public identification years later.

Conrad McGuire

• Accused
  

Also known as Friar John McGuire and formerly Father Conrad McGuire, he was publicly named as credibly accused by Franciscan University of Steubenville in 4/2019. McGuire was laicized in 1988. The allegations arose within a university review of clergy misconduct involving students, resulting in post-laicization disclosure.

John B. Nadzam

• Accused
  

In 4/2009, the Diocese of Erie, Pennsylvania announced it had received a substantiated allegation that Nadzam sexually abused a minor during the 1970s. He was suspended from ministry in 2004. The case reflects inter-diocesan acknowledgment of abuse allegations and formal suspension prior to public confirmation.

Henry B. “Hugh” O’Donnell

• Accused
  

The allegation traces to events in 1950, when O’Donnell is accused of sexually abusing a 13-year-old girl. The same individual later reported verbal abuse when she was 27 years old. O’Donnell remained in clerical life for decades after the alleged abuse and died in 1982, with the accusations becoming part of later historical disclosures rather than contemporaneous legal action.

Carl Peltz

• Settled
  

Ordained for the Diocese of Steubenville, Peltz served as a U.S. Navy chaplain from 1984 to 1987. He was accused of forcing a 12-year-old boy to drink whiskey and raping him, an allegation reviewed and deemed unsubstantiated by the Kalamazoo diocesan review board in 2003. In 2008, a separate allegation involved improper advances toward a boy. Civil matters were resolved through settlement.

Walter J. Plimmer

• Accused
  

Before ordination, Plimmer worked as a Broadway actor and later served in a Diocese of Trenton parish beginning in 1944. He became a faculty member and public relations director at the College of Steubenville. Plimmer was suspended from ministry in 1956 and was first publicly named as accused on the Diocese of Steubenville’s list released on 10/31/2018.

Francis J. Rothbauer

• Sued
  

Rothbauer was removed from active ministry in 1988 following allegations that he sexually abused a girl between 1968 and 1972. The abuse was alleged to have occurred during his priestly assignments prior to removal. Civil litigation followed, and the matter proceeded as a lawsuit rather than a criminal case. Rothbauer died in 2011 at age 83.

Samuel Tiesi

• Accused
  

Tiesi was named publicly as credibly accused by Franciscan University of Steubenville in April 2019. The allegations involved sexual abuse of young female college students during his association with the institution. His name emerged through a retrospective review of misconduct involving clergy and students. Tiesi died in 2001, years before the public disclosure.

Gary Zalenski

• Accused
  

An allegation deemed credible stated that Zalenski sexually assaulted a girl between ages nine and eleven from 1989 to 1991 in Lore City, Ohio. He was suspended from ministry and later transferred, while denying the allegations. Zalenski was ultimately laicized in 2014, ending his clerical status following ecclesiastical proceedings related to the abuse claim.

Joel A. Wright

• Convicted
  

While a seminarian at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Wright was arrested in San Diego on charges involving attempts to adopt and sexually abuse multiple female infants. He was convicted and sentenced to 16 years in prison, followed by lifetime supervision. The offenses occurred outside parish ministry but resulted in permanent criminal penalties and removal from any clerical path.

Diocese of Toledo OH

Thomas Joseph Beauregard

• Accused
  

While serving as a religion instructor at Central Catholic High School, Beauregard was accused of sexually abusing at least three teenage girls. The allegations led to his removal from a parish assignment in 1994. He was barred from public ministry for an extended period, remaining restricted through at least 2002, with the claims surfacing years after the alleged misconduct occurred during his teaching role.

Nelson G. Beaver

• Accused
  

After converting to Catholicism in 1969, Beaver later served as a parish pastor in the Diocese of Toledo. In October 2018, he was suspended following an allegation that he sexually abused a minor more than twenty-five years earlier. Beaver denied the allegation. Vatican authorities imposed a life of prayer and penance, removing him permanently from public ministry without criminal proceedings.

Ronald William Bohl

• Settled
  

Bohl was accused of making a sexual advance toward a minor in 1986 during his priestly ministry. Decades later, the allegation resulted in administrative action, and he was removed from a parish assignment in Louisville, Kentucky, in 2002. The matter concluded through a civil settlement rather than criminal prosecution, with his ministry effectively ended following the resolution.

Karl L. Burger

• Accused
  

Burger was named publicly as credibly accused by the Diocese of Toledo in April 2020. The allegation involved abuse reported only after his death, limiting contemporaneous disciplinary action. He had already died on September 13, 1991, years before the disclosure, and his name was added retroactively during diocesan reviews of historical abuse allegations.

Francis E. Canfield

• Accused
  

A former student reported that Canfield sexually abused him between 1999 and 2000. At the time, Canfield was serving as a teacher at St. John’s High School in Toledo, where he worked from 1990 through 2005. The allegation was later disclosed to the Jesuits’ Midwest Province, resulting in his public identification as accused.

Bernabe Romo

• Accused
  

Following Romo’s retirement from active ministry, the Diocese of Toledo quietly added his name to its list of clergy with substantiated allegations of sexual abuse. The disclosure occurred without public announcement at the time of retirement. Specific details of the abuse were not contemporaneously released, but the diocese later confirmed the allegations as substantiated through internal review.

Michael J. Doyle

• Settled
  

Doyle served as a monsignor and director of Toledo Catholic Charities when he was accused of sexually abusing a girl at St. Anthony’s Orphanage. When the victim attempted to report the abuse, she was punished by staff and transferred to a residential school. The allegations were resolved through settlement rather than trial, and Doyle’s conduct emerged during later historical examinations.

Albert A. Fate

• Accused
  

Fate was named publicly as credibly accused by the Diocese of Toledo in April 2020. The allegations surfaced after his death, preventing any disciplinary proceedings during his lifetime. Fate died on June 16, 1963, and his inclusion on the diocesan list occurred decades later as part of a broader review of historical abuse claims.

Philip S. Feltman

• Reinstated
  

In 2002, a woman alleged that Feltman sexually abused her in 1972 when she was nine years old at St. Thomas Aquinas parish. The Vatican reviewed the matter and determined there was insufficient evidence to support the allegation. Following that decision, Feltman was returned to ministry, restoring his clerical faculties after the investigation concluded.

Robert J. Fisher

• Guilty plea
  

Fisher was convicted in 1987 of sexual offenses involving a fourteen-year-old girl. He later remained under church oversight and was placed on leave in 2002. In 2005, he was permanently removed from public ministry. The conviction followed a guilty plea, marking a confirmed criminal outcome alongside ecclesiastical sanctions.

John J. Gallen

• Settled
  

A member of the New York Province Jesuits, Gallen was accused of sexually abusing a sixteen-year-old boy in Toledo, Ohio, in 1980, with additional allegations involving California. The claims resulted in a civil settlement of fifty thousand dollars in 1994. Gallen died on April 17, 2011, years after the settlement concluded.

Frederick A. Garand

• Accused
  

Garand died in 1982 after being murdered in Florida. During the homicide investigation, police interviewed two youths who stated they had been sexually abused by him and indicated the existence of additional victims. Although no criminal prosecution occurred due to his death, the allegations became part of later documentation concerning clergy abuse in the diocese.

William Geiger

• Settled
  

Three men filed a civil lawsuit alleging they were sexually abused as children during the 1970s by Geiger and another Redemptorist priest at a parish in Lima, Ohio. The case was resolved through settlement in 2004. The claims emerged decades after the alleged abuse and were addressed through civil litigation rather than criminal proceedings.

Dennis L. Gray

• Sued
  

Gray faced civil lawsuits in 2002 and 2003 alleging sexual abuse. He had been laicized earlier, in 1994, severing his formal ties to the priesthood. Gray died in 2019. Records indicate he may have sought involvement with a parish in Perrysburg, Ohio, after removal, though he remained barred from ministry.

John G. Hemstreet

• Guilty plea
  

After leaving active ministry in 1987, Hemstreet was arrested in 1992 for sexually abusing a ten-year-old boy. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to ninety days in jail. His conviction followed criminal proceedings rather than internal discipline. Hemstreet died in 2007, with the offense and sentence remaining part of the public record.

Bernard Kokocinski

• Settled
  

Kokocinski was sued twice in 2002 and had been arrested on multiple occasions for improper sexual activity. He was barred from active ministry and ultimately dismissed from the clerical state. The civil cases were resolved through settlement, concluding a series of legal actions that followed repeated allegations and criminal justice involvement.

Richard S. Liston

• Accused
  

Liston was accused of raping a teenager in Norwalk, Ohio, in 1978. Following the allegation, he was quietly transferred by the diocese at least twice before being removed from public ministry in 1989. He retired thereafter and died in 1994, with the abuse claim later documented during diocesan disclosures.

C. Neil Lucas

• Accused
  

Lucas was placed on leave in December 2002 after allegations of sexual abuse surfaced. Following an internal review, he was permanently removed from public ministry in March 2004. The allegations related to conduct during his priestly assignments and resulted in definitive administrative action by the Diocese of Toledo.

John L. McCullen

• Accused
  

McCullen was publicly named as accused by the Diocese of Toledo on its list released in March 2004. He was barred from public ministry following the substantiated allegations. McCullen died on November 24, 2013, years after the restrictions were imposed and his name was formally disclosed.

Michael P. McLaughlin

• Sued
  

McLaughlin was sued in 2003 over allegations that he sexually abused an eleven-year-old boy in 1980. He had already been barred from ministry in 1990. His name was included on the diocesan list in 2005, and laicization proceedings were ongoing as of 2020, reflecting prolonged administrative action.

Thomas E. Meiring

• Sued
  

A civil lawsuit filed in February 2006 alleged that Meiring sexually abused a fifteen-year-old boy. He denied the allegation and had previously requested laicization in 1983, which was not granted until 2016. The civil case proceeded independently of church action, with the alleged abuse dating back decades.

Richard G. Miller

• Sued
  

Miller was sued by a man who alleged sexual abuse occurring between ages eight and fourteen at Saints Peter and Paul parish in South Toledo. The civil case was dismissed with prejudice. Miller later died in 2009, with the lawsuit concluding without a trial or settlement.

Frank Nieset

• Accused
  

Nieset served as a parish priest and high school teacher during his ministry. After his death, the Diocese of Toledo quietly added his name to its list of clergy with substantiated allegations of sexual abuse. The claims were received posthumously, limiting contemporaneous disciplinary action but resulting in later public disclosure.

Alexander Pinter

• Sued
  

Originally from Hungary, Pinter was assigned to the Diocese of Toledo in 1946 and later became a parish priest in Louisiana in 1974. He was accused of sexually abusing a minor between 1956 and 1960. His name was added to the Toledo diocesan list in 2019, decades after the alleged abuse.

Joseph J. Pucci

• Settled
  

During the 1950s, two women later alleged that Pucci molested them when they were young teenagers. Decades afterward, a man reported that Pucci sexually abused him as a child in 1980 at a rectory in Palm Beach, Florida. The allegations were addressed through civil settlement rather than criminal prosecution, with the claims spanning multiple decades and jurisdictions.

Samuel Punnoor

• Accused
  

Punnoor was placed on leave by the Diocese of Toledo after an allegation of child sexual abuse was made against him. Following the allegation, he abandoned active ministry in 2016. No criminal resolution is noted in the record, but the diocesan action effectively ended his clerical service after the accusation was received.

Herbert M. Richey Jr.

• Settled
  

Richey was accused of abusing several youths and was forced from the priesthood in 1992. He was formally laicized in 1997. Despite removal, he was later found working as a music director and organist in another Toledo parish, prompting a ban in 2002. Richey died in 2020, with the allegations resolved through settlement.

Stephen G. Rogers

• Convicted
  

Rogers served as a religion teacher at Central Catholic High School when he was discovered possessing internet child pornography. He was convicted and sentenced to twenty-one months in prison, serving approximately eighteen months. In 2006, he was permanently removed from public ministry following the criminal proceedings and conviction.

Gerald J. Robinson

• Convicted
  

Robinson was placed on leave in 2003 or 2004 after being accused of sexually abusing a fourteen-year-old girl in 1978 at Mercy Hospital. He was later convicted in 1980 of the ritual murder of a nun at the same hospital and sentenced to fifteen years in prison, marking one of the most severe criminal outcomes involving clergy in the diocese.

James H. Roth

• Accused
  

A man reported that Roth sexually abused him multiple times when he was nine or ten years old, with the disclosure occurring approximately fourteen years later. Roth was removed from his position on a Toronto school board following the allegation. He later died by suspected suicide, with no criminal adjudication recorded before his death.

Lawrence C. Scharf

• Accused
  

Scharf was placed on leave in 2002 after allegations of sexual misconduct involving a minor were brought forward. Following internal review, he was barred from ministry. The allegations resulted in permanent restrictions on his clerical functions, ending his active involvement in diocesan assignments.

Joseph M. Schmelzer

• Sued
  

In 2002, a man alleged that Schmelzer sexually abused him as a teenager between 1983 and 1985. The diocesan review board found the claims credible in 2005. As a result, Schmelzer was permanently removed from the St. Wendelin rectory, and the matter proceeded through civil litigation.

George A. Schmit

• Accused
  

Schmit was named publicly as credibly accused by the Diocese of Toledo on its April 2020 list. The allegation or allegations were reported only after his death, which occurred on August 7, 1984. His inclusion on the diocesan list followed retrospective review of historical abuse claims.

John C. Shiffler

• Sued
  

A lawsuit filed in 2002 alleged that Shiffler sexually abused a boy and another youth during the mid-1980s. Shiffler admitted to the abuse during the proceedings. He was permanently removed from active ministry in 2006, following both the civil action and acknowledgment of misconduct.

Glen Shrimplin

• Settled
  

Two men filed a civil lawsuit in 2003 alleging that Shrimplin sexually abused them as boys during the 1970s. Although Shrimplin stated he left the active diaconate voluntarily in 1987, diocesan records indicate he was removed from active diaconal ministry. The claims were resolved through settlement.

Robert Ronald Thomas

• Accused
  

Thomas was placed on leave in 2002 following allegations that he sexually abused a minor. He admitted to the abuse and was sent for therapy. Despite a reassignment to Holy Trinity in Bucyrus, Ohio, he was permanently removed from public ministry in 2007 after continued review of his conduct.

J. Michael Tynan

• Guilty plea
  

Tynan, an ordained deacon, was placed on leave after an investigation by United States Customs uncovered possession of child pornography. Criminal charges were filed in 2006, and he pleaded guilty. Tynan was sentenced to three years in prison, ending his clerical service through criminal conviction.

Lawrence F. Varney

• Accused
  

Varney, a retired instructor at Toledo Central Catholic High School, was placed on leave after credible allegations of sexual misconduct with a minor emerged. He was barred from public ministry following the diocesan determination, with the allegations linked to his role as an educator within the diocese.

Chester John Warren

• Settled
  

Warren, known as Chet, was accused of abusing more than ten girls over an extended period. He was expelled from his religious order in 1993 and later laicized in 2007. His name appears on the Archdiocese of Detroit’s list of credibly accused clergy, with the claims addressed through settlement.

Leo Patrick Welch

• Sued
  

Welch was accused of sexually abusing at least two boys between 1959 and 1961 while assigned to Immaculate Conception parish in Bellevue, Ohio. He was fired in 2002. His name was included on the Diocese of Toledo’s list in 2005, and the allegations were pursued through civil litigation.

Stanislaus Wojciechowski

• Accused
  

Wojciechowski was named publicly as credibly accused by the Diocese of Toledo on its April 2020 list. The allegations were reported only after his death on November 5, 1979. His inclusion followed retrospective diocesan review of historical abuse allegations.

Michael J. Zacharias

• Convicted
  

In 2015, Zacharias recorded a confession video admitting that he performed oral sex on an adult victim. Further findings established that he groomed at least three victims from childhood for later commercial sex acts. He was placed on leave by the diocese following these disclosures and later faced criminal consequences for his conduct.

Robert J. Yeager

• Settled
  

Yeager was placed on leave in 2006 after an investigation concluded that allegations against him were credible. In 2008, he was permanently removed from public ministry. The claims were resolved through settlement, formally ending his clerical involvement within the Diocese of Toledo.

Diocese of Youngstown OH

Marian Babjak

• Accused
  

Ordained in Slovakia, Babjak spent his early priesthood in Slovakia and Austria before arriving in the Diocese of Youngstown in 2006. He assisted at St. Rose Parish in Girard while studying at Youngstown State University, then was assigned to St. Paul Parish in North Canton in 2017. He was later identified by the diocese as accused, following review of misconduct allegations.

Joseph R. Bennett

• Accused
  

First named publicly as accused on the Diocese of Youngstown’s list released October 29, 2018, Bennett served in numerous parish assignments across northeastern Ohio, including Boardman, Youngstown, Ashtabula, Canton, Warren, Niles, and Geneva. The allegations were reported after his death. His clerical career spanned several decades prior to the posthumous disclosure.

Denis G. Bouchard

• Reinstated
  

Bouchard was placed on leave in November 2018 after a man reported that he was sexually abused as a child between ages nine and eleven. Following investigation, the Diocese of Youngstown determined there was insufficient evidence to substantiate the claim. Bouchard was subsequently reinstated to ministry after the diocesan review process concluded.

Emmanuel Briffa

• Accused
  

Briffa was named publicly as accused by the Midwest Province in 2018. He had previously been dismissed from his religious order in 1963. The allegation involved misconduct occurring prior to his dismissal, and his name was included as part of broader disclosures of historical abuse cases within the province.

Robert M. Burns

• Convicted
  

Burns served in the Diocese of Youngstown between 1975 and 1981, during which time he sexually abused minors. He was removed from active ministry in 1991. In 1996, Burns pleaded guilty to molesting two youths and was sentenced to eight years in prison, serving three years before release.

Daniel P. Cipar

• Accused
  

Cipar was named publicly as credibly accused by the Diocese of Youngstown in 2020 and by the Diocese of Rockford the same year. In 2023, he was also included on the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart U.S. Province list of credibly accused clergy, reflecting multiple substantiated allegations across dioceses.

Thomas J. Crum

• Settled
  

Crum was removed from teaching duties in 2009 following allegations of sexual misconduct involving a teenage student more than thirty years earlier. He was accused of sexually abusing a twelve-year-old boy in 1981 while assigned to St. Christine Parish in Youngstown. The claim was resolved through settlement.

John P. Cunningham

• Accused
  

Cunningham served as pastor of St. Philip and St. James Parish in Canal Fulton from 1969 to 1983. He died in 1989. Allegations of sexual abuse were reported after his death, and he was first named publicly as accused on the Diocese of Youngstown’s list released October 29, 2018.

Gerald X. Curran

• Accused
  

Curran died in 2008 and was first named publicly as accused on the Diocese of Youngstown’s list issued October 29, 2018. The allegations were reported posthumously, and no disciplinary action occurred during his lifetime due to the timing of disclosure.

Guy Bernard Dupont

• Accused
  

Dupont was first named publicly as accused on the Diocese of Youngstown’s list released October 29, 2018, and was also included on the Dominican St. Joseph Province list later that year. He was removed from public ministry in 2018 following a credible allegation of abuse occurring in 1982 or 1983.

Anthony Michael Esposito

• Accused
  

Esposito was first named publicly as accused on the Diocese of Youngstown’s list issued October 29, 2018. His assignments included St. Aloysius in East Liverpool, St. Rose in Girard, the Youngstown University Newman Club, and leadership roles within the Columbiana Deanery of Priests.

Richard C. Evrit

• Accused
  

The allegations against Evrit date to the early 1970s. His assignments included parishes in Salem, Poland, Canton, Warren, and Kent in Ohio, as well as St. Charles Parish in Morganton, North Carolina. His name was later included in diocesan disclosures of accused clergy.

Joseph A. Feicht

• Accused
  

Feicht was named publicly as credibly accused by the Diocese of Youngstown on a list updated March 5, 2020. The allegations were reported after his death. He died in 1965, decades before the disclosure and formal acknowledgment of the misconduct claims.

James M. Fondriest

• Accused
  

Fondriest was first named publicly as accused on the Diocese of Youngstown’s list released October 29, 2018. He took a leave of absence in 1994 from St. Joseph Parish in Mantua, where he served as pastor, later married, and died in Estero, Florida, on July 17, 2021.

Ernest Formichelli

• Accused
  

Formichelli was first named publicly as accused on October 29, 2018. In 2013, his teaching license was revoked after two individuals alleged sexual abuse. The allegations prompted formal recognition by the diocese years after his professional roles ended.

Joseph Galganski

• Accused
  

Monsignor Galganski was first named publicly as accused on the Diocese of Youngstown’s list released October 29, 2018. He retired in 1980 and died on July 22, 1992. Allegations were reported after his death and later substantiated for public disclosure.

John P. Gallagher

• Accused
  

Gallagher was first named publicly as accused on the Diocese of Youngstown’s list released October 29, 2018. He died on January 3, 1974. The allegation was reported posthumously, and no action occurred during his lifetime.

Henry M. Gallagher

• Accused
  

Ordained in Boston for the Diocese of Kansas City, Gallagher later served in parish assignments before entering a period described as awaiting appointment. He was assigned as a chaplain to hospice and hospital roles before retiring in 1965. His name was later included among accused clergy.

Paul L. Gubser

• Accused
  

Gubser was first named publicly as accused on the Diocese of Youngstown’s list released October 29, 2018. His assignments spanned numerous parishes across Ohio. He retired in July 2002 and died on February 25, 2006, prior to the public disclosure of allegations.

John E. Hammer

• Sued
  

Hammer was removed from the priesthood in 2002 after admitting to sexually abusing an altar boy between 1980 and 1983. He previously worked as a hospital chaplain in the Archdiocese of Baltimore until 1990, after which he was transferred to the Diocese of Saginaw, Michigan. Civil litigation followed his admission.

James R. Hennessey

• Accused
  

Hennessey was first named publicly as accused on the Diocese of Youngstown’s list released October 29, 2018. His assignments included parishes in Struthers, Wellsville, Ashtabula, and Brewster. Allegations were reported after his death, resulting in posthumous inclusion.

Robert E. Hill

• Convicted
  

Hill was arrested and convicted in 1991 for compelling prostitution. He served two years in prison following the conviction. After the criminal case, he was suspended by the Diocese of Youngstown, ending his active ministry.

William H. Hohman

• Accused
  

Ordained for the Marianists, Hohman taught at high schools, Trinity College, and Mercy Hospital before retiring in 1980. He was named publicly as credibly accused in 2020, following review of historical allegations related to his educational and pastoral roles.

Thomas F. Kelly

• Accused
  

Kelly was first named publicly as accused on the Diocese of Youngstown’s list released October 29, 2018. He was deceased at the time of disclosure. His assignments included St. Columba Cathedral and parishes in Garrettsville, Ashtabula, Youngstown, Liverpool, and Campbell.

John F. Lyons

• Accused
  

Ordained in Ireland, Lyons was first named publicly as accused on the Diocese of Youngstown’s list released October 29, 2018. The allegations were reported after his death, and his name was included as part of the diocese’s historical abuse disclosures.

Donald P. Marrokal

• Accused
  

Marrokal appeared on the Diocese of Youngstown’s October 29, 2018 disclosure of clergy tied to abuse allegations. His ministerial service predated the release, and no public action occurred during his lifetime. Marrokal died in 2007, with the allegation formally acknowledged through the diocese’s retrospective accounting of clergy misconduct.

Thomas Bertrand McCarthy

• Accused
  

McCarthy was included in the Diocese of Youngstown’s public release on November 9, 2018 identifying clergy associated with abuse claims. He was deceased by the time his name was disclosed. The allegation surfaced during the diocese’s review of historical cases involving priests no longer living.

Donald J. Oser

• Accused
  

Oser’s name was added to the Diocese of Youngstown’s list on October 29, 2018. His assignments spanned numerous parishes, including Geneva, Austintown, Struthers, Boardman, Hubbard, Alliance, Youngstown, Columbiana, Warren, Canton, and North Canton. He died on October 23, 2012, years before the allegation was publicly recorded.

John R. Parillo

• Accused
  

Parillo was identified on the Diocese of Youngstown’s October 29, 2018 disclosure of clergy accused of sexual abuse. The allegation emerged after his death. His inclusion reflected the diocese’s acknowledgment of reports received posthumously during its historical case review.

Robert E. Reidy

• Sued
  

During the 1960s, Reidy sexually abused two brothers, conduct he later admitted. He was removed from ministry and retired in April 2002. A civil lawsuit followed later that year, documenting the abuse after his admission and permanent separation from clerical responsibilities.

John E. Ryan

• Accused
  

Ryan was listed by the Diocese of Youngstown on October 29, 2018 in its release of clergy associated with abuse claims. He had died prior to disclosure. His pastoral work included assignments in Boardman, Poland, Massillon, Canal Fulton, Warren, and Youngstown over multiple decades.

Robert A. Sabatino

• Accused
  

Sabatino, a monsignor, was identified on the Diocese of Youngstown’s October 29, 2018 list. He died on July 17, 2017. The allegation was recognized after his death as part of the diocese’s effort to document historical abuse involving deceased clergy.

John W. Schmidt

• Accused
  

Schmidt was named in the Diocese of Youngstown’s October 29, 2018 disclosure. His parish service included Massillon, Ashtabula, Youngstown, Canton, Lisbon, and Sebring. He died on February 10, 2003, with the allegation formally recorded years later.

Louis Santucci

• Accused
  

Santucci was identified in the Diocese of Youngstown’s October 29, 2018 release. His roles included service at St. Patrick in Hubbard, Ursuline High School, Cardinal Mooney High School, St. Joseph in Maximo, Regina Coeli in Alliance, and Immaculate Conception in Ravenna. The allegation was acknowledged through diocesan reporting.

William B. Smaltz

• Indicted
  

Smaltz was initially included on the Diocese of Youngstown’s October 29, 2018 list connected to abuse allegations. In May 2020, the diocese removed his name after determining the claim no longer met its standards for credibility or substantiation.

Jose Vazquez

• Accused
  

Vazquez was added to the Diocese of Youngstown’s disclosure updated November 9, 2018. His assignments included St. Aloysius in East Liverpool, St. Joseph in Canton, and St. Charles in Boardman. The allegation was recorded during the diocese’s review of historical misconduct.

John F. Warner

• Accused
  

Warner was removed from his pastoral assignment in 2011 by Bishop Murray following an allegation of sexual misconduct with a minor dating back more than thirty years. He denied the allegation. The administrative action ended his parish leadership while the claim was reviewed.

Francis Zapitelli

• Accused
  

Zapitelli was taken out of public ministry in 2018 after an allegation of sexual misconduct involving a minor from the mid-1970s. The diocese imposed the removal following receipt of the claim, concluding his eligibility for public clerical service.

About Clergy Sexual Abuse

Clergy sexual abuse involves inappropriate sexual conduct by a clergy member towards a minor or vulnerable young people, highlighting the need for child protection. This often involves accused priests within the Catholic diocese. However, other clergy members can also be responsible for clergy sexual abuse, such as church officials, Catholic bishops, other church personnel, or an associate pastor.

The impact on child sexual abuse victims is devastating and causes long-term psychological trauma, emotional distress, and a loss of faith. For this reason, seeking legal action against credibly accused clergy is necessary to achieve justice while preventing such incidents from predator priests in the future.

In Ohio, the legal proceedings to hold credibly accused clergy accountable involve collecting proof, filing a complaint, and pursuing civil claims through discovery, negotiations, and potentially a trial, which must also involve law enforcement officials. Child sexual abuse survivors are encouraged to come forward, ensuring that the accused diocesan clerics are held accountable for their actions.

Legal Support for Child Sexual Abuse Survivors in Ohio

Injury Lawyer Team promises top-notch legal support for survivors who are sexually abused in Ohio, ensuring they are aware of their current status in the legal process. Our professional legal team is highly experienced in handling abuse cases involving accused clerics within roman catholic dioceses while making sure that child sexual abuse survivors receive the justice and compensation they are looking for.

With a dedicated approach, we guide you through every step of the legal proceedings so that you can easily navigate complex legal challenges. Our team will work alongside law enforcement officials, help uncover evidence about the accused clergy members, and more, so you can focus on working with a survivors’ network to learn to heal.

We encourage you to book a free consultation to discuss your case.

What Laws Govern Priest Abuse Lawsuits in Ohio?

Ohio has implemented specific laws to address clergy and child sexual abuse cases within the Catholic church. The statute of limitations regulations detail how long you have to file a civil lawsuit, including ones against Catholic bishops or the religious clergy. There are also mandatory reporting laws that require individuals to report child abuse to the proper authorities.

Statute of Limitations for an Allegation of Sexual Abuse

The state has extended the statute of limitations, allowing victims to file civil claims until they reach the age of 30 or within 12 years of discovering the alleged abuse. For criminal lawsuits, the statute of limitations for victims of childhood sexual abuse is capped at age 43, with another five years granted if DNA is found within 25 years based on available evidence.

Mandatory Reporting Laws and the Catholic Church

Ohio law mandates that church personnel report any child abuse to local child protective services or law enforcement authorities to ensure timely intervention.

However, the law specifically states that this excludes a person, other than a cleric, rendering spiritual treatment through prayer in accordance with the tenets of a well-organized religion. A cleric is an ordained minister, priest, member of a religious order, etc. So, Catholic bishops may be required to report abuse if they find out under certain circumstances.

However, Section 2317.02 states that a cleric cannot be compelled to testify if the testimony violates sacred trust, such as if the information is shared with the cleric for discipline or religious counseling. This also applies to information deceased clerics may have obtained through confession or religious counseling and kept records of.

The only way a cleric can testify regarding this information, or tell anyone, is if the defendant waives the right to testimonial privilege. So, if predator priests seek help from another clergy member in the religious order via counseling or confession, the person who works with them or hears the confession cannot tell anyone because it violates sacred trust.

Thankfully, our experienced legal team has experience holding credibly accused priests and other clergy members of Roman Catholic dioceses accountable. We’ll work with you, law enforcement officials, and other clergy members, when possible, to help you get the compensation you deserve.

Filing a Clergy Sexual Abuse Lawsuit in Ohio

Filing a clergy sexual abuse lawsuit against the Roman Catholic dioceses in Ohio involves careful preparation and a clear understanding of legal procedures surrounding the abuse of a minor.

• Confidential Initial Consultation: Initiate by contacting Injury Lawyer Team to discuss your case and explore your legal options in a confidential setting.
• Evidence Collection: Collaborate with our legal team to collect evidence such as medical records, therapy notes, witness statements, and any documentation related to the abuse.
• Complaint Filing: Our attorneys will draft and file a legal complaint in the appropriate Ohio court, outlining the allegations and legal basis for the lawsuit.
• Discovery Process: Both parties will exchange evidence and information through depositions and document requests.
• Settlement Negotiations: We’ll negotiate a settlement through our lawyers to reach a fair resolution. If a settlement is not reached, the case proceeds to trial.
• Trial Proceedings: The evidence and arguments are presented before a judge or jury, who will announce the final verdict.
• Post-Trial: Either party may appeal the verdict if there are grounds to believe legal errors affected the outcome. If the plaintiff wins and no appeal is filed, steps are taken to collect the awarded damages.

Are you a victim of clergy sexual abuse and seeking justice in Ohio? Contact us and get professional legal assistance right away. We invite you to explore the legal options available to you to hold credibly accused priests accountable.

Support Resources for Child Abuse Survivors in Ohio

For young people who are survivors of clergy sexual abuse in Ohio, several resources are available to provide essential support and aid in recovery:

• Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence (OAESV) – Provides critical services, including crisis intervention, therapeutic counseling, and advocacy. They support survivors, which can be explored further on their official website. They can help you regardless of when the child sexual abuse occurred.
• Regional Rape Crisis Centers – Scattered across Ohio, these centers offer confidential support, therapy, and legal advocacy tailored to survivors’ needs. Find your nearest center through the Ohio Rape Crisis Centers Locator.
• National Sexual Assault Hotline – This hotline, 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), is available 24/7 and helps survivors connect with local resources and immediate support.

Remember, accessing legal assistance and emotional support is vital for survivors, as it ensures they receive the comprehensive care necessary to pursue justice for certain allegations of abuse.

Notable Cases and Outcomes Against Clergy Members in Ohio

Like other states, Ohio has also seen several notable clergy sexual abuse cases within the Catholic diocese that have resulted in significant legislation to protect the survivors while punishing those who are accused.

The case involving the deceased Joseph Williams, ordained, led to substantial compensation for the survivors and brought attention to the issue of clergy abuse in the Cleveland Diocese.

Another case involving the deceased John Vovko, an ordained individual, highlighted the importance of holding church officials accountable and ensuring transparency in handling abuse allegations. The deceased John Connor and the deceased John Ciolek, both ordained, resulted in significant settlements and underscored the failures in reporting child sexual abuse by church officials.

Moreover, the case of the deceased Joseph Seminatore, ordained, was pivotal in setting legal standards for handling abuse claims. The deceased Donald Rooney, ordained, brought about significant changes in how the Diocese of Cleveland addresses certain allegations of abuse, including abuse of a minor and child sexual abuse.

Similarly, the cases of deceased John Mueller, ordained, and deceased James Viall, ordained, further emphasized the widespread nature of abuse, resulting in policy changes within the diocese. Deceased Frank Klamet, ordained, deceased Edward Kickel, ordained, and deceased Liam Kitt highlighted ongoing issues within the diocese and the need for continuous reforms.

Additionally, you can learn about similar cases by viewing the Cleveland diocese’s list of credibly accused, such as ministry Russell Banner, ministry Allen Bruening, ministry Julius Slapsak, ministry Carl Wernet, and ministry Joseph Ehrbar, all of whom were removed from ministry.

Our attorneys have reviewed public and private settlement data related to Ohio clergy abuse settlements. Depending on the circumstances of your case, these cases may be fairly valued in the $400,000 to $950,000 range. In cases of extreme conduct or if a case against credibly accused priests were to go before a jury, damages could exceed $1 million.

Why Choose Injury Lawyer Team

Survivors of clergy sexual abuse in Ohio should choose Injury Lawyer Team for our dedicated advocacy and specialized expertise regarding substantial allegations against the Roman Catholic dioceses. We have a solid track record of achieving desirable outcomes for our clients and winning favorable verdicts for child sexual abuse survivors.

Our team pursues each Catholic clergy case with empathy and understanding, fully acknowledging the profound sadness and emotional impact of abuse. We are committed to seeking justice relentlessly by ensuring that those responsible are held accountable. At Injury Lawyer Team, we prioritize your needs and are here to support you throughout the entire legal process of filing a sexual abuse lawsuit.

If you are a survivor of clergy sexual abuse in Ohio, we are here to help. Contact us today to discuss your case and learn how we can assist you.

All content undergoes thorough legal review by experienced attorneys, including Jonathan Rosenfeld. With 25 years of experience in personal injury law and over 100 years of combined legal expertise within our team, we ensure that every article is legally accurate, compliant, and reflects current legal standards.