Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Carlos Peralta

This page outlines the assignments, credible allegations of child sexual abuse, and institutional actions involving Fr. Carlos Peralta, as part of the Injury Lawyer Team’s legal representation of survivors in Illinois clergy abuse cases.

• Primary Entity Name: Carlos Peralta
• Common Variations / Aliases: Father Carlos Peralta, Fr. Carlos Enrique Peralta, Carlos Enrique Peralta
• Role/Title at Time of Incident: Salesian of Don Bosco Priest, Parish and Youth Ministry Assignments
• Current Status: Removed from public ministry, believed to be residing outside the United States

Public Identification and Clergy Status

Fr. Carlos Peralta was publicly identified as a priest with substantiated allegations of sexual misconduct with minors by the Archdiocese of Chicago. He served as a Salesian of Don Bosco (S.D.B.) and was granted faculties to minister in the Archdiocese of Chicago before being removed from public ministry in August 1999. He was publicly listed by:

• Archdiocese of Chicago
• Illinois AG report

Records and survivor accounts indicate allegations of sexual misconduct dating back to his time in seminary and ministry in Latin America, including Chile, Guatemala, and Peru, prior to his assignment to the United States. 

It is believed that he has not faced criminal prosecution in the United States and is living in Mexico, but specifics regarding his current status or access to minors remain unknown. 

• Entity that Listed Him: Archdiocese of Chicago
• Reason for Listing: Substantiated allegations of sexual misconduct with minors

Key Status Facts

Ordination Year: 1989/1990 (Salesian of Don Bosco)
Years in Active Ministry: 1980s–1999
Locations Where He Served: Chile, Peru, Guatemala, Argentina, United States (Illinois), Mexico
Restrictions: Removed from public ministry in August 1999
Criminal Convictions: None publicly reported in U.S. sources
Public Disclosure: Included on the Archdiocese of Chicago’s substantiated list (2018) and referenced in the Illinois Attorney General’s clergy abuse investigation reports 

Assignment History

Primary Religious Order: Salesians of Don Bosco (S.D.B.), Archdiocese of Chicago

Parish and Ministry Assignments:

• Chile, Peru, and Guatemala (1980s–1996) — Served in Salesian educational and parish ministries internationally prior to assignment to the United States
• Domus Mariae Treatment Center, Argentina (1997) — Sent for treatment following allegations of misconduct in prior assignments abroad 
• St. John Bosco Parish, Chicago, Illinois (1998–1999) — Assigned to work with youth at the parish; survivor claims and internal reports allege abuse during this period 

Non-Parish Assignments:

• Salesian Residence, New Jersey (1999) — Following the filing of a lawsuit alleging abuse of multiple boys at St. John Bosco, Peralta was relocated by his order to a monitored Salesian residence, reportedly with restrictions on unsupervised contact with minors. 
• Treatment Facility, Virginia (1999–2000) — After removal from ministry in Chicago, he was sent to a Salesian treatment center in Virginia, a non-parish institutional role intended for clergy facing allegations of misconduct. 
• Salesian Provincial House, Mexico City, Mexico (2001 onward) — Assigned to the Salesian headquarters in Mexico City with reported restrictions on unsupervised access to minors; later status unclear. 

Known Allegations

Fr. Carlos Peralta has been the subject of multiple allegations of sexual misconduct involving minors spanning several countries and decades. Reports indicate that allegations began during his seminary years and continued through his international assignments in Latin America. 

In Chicago, a lawsuit filed in 1999 alleged that Peralta sexually abused four boys at St. John Bosco Parish during his assignment there. Internal investigations by the Archdiocese of Chicago and the Salesian order revealed concerns that he may have abused additional minors during his ministry in Chile, Peru, and Guatemala prior to arriving in the United States. 

After the lawsuit in Chicago was filed, the Salesian order relocated him out of the parish environment, first to a treatment center and then to monitored residences. In November 2018, nearly two decades after the initial report, the Archdiocese of Chicago added Peralta’s name to its public list of Illinois clergy with substantiated allegations of sexual abuse of minors. His current status, including residential location and any restrictions relating to contact with minors, is not publicly documented. 

Summary: Fr. Carlos Peralta, a Salesian of Don Bosco priest, was removed from public ministry after allegations and a lawsuit alleging sexual abuse of minors; his name was added to the Archdiocese of Chicago’s list of clergy with substantiated allegations in 2018, and he is believed to be residing outside the United States. 

Overseeing Authorities During Key Periods:

• Salesian Order Superiors — Responsible for international assignments and responses to allegations
• Cardinal Francis George — Archdiocese of Chicago leadership when Peralta was removed from ministry
• Archdiocese of Chicago Independent Review Board — Reviewed allegations leading to substantiation and public listing 

Institutional Actions and Review

Internal communications obtained by investigators indicate that Church officials and Salesian superiors were aware of allegations of sexual misconduct involving minors at various points during Peralta’s career. Many of these were alleged and investigated before being placed on the list of Illinois priests with credible allegations. 

In the 1990s, allegations from prior assignments abroad and in Chicago prompted the order to send Peralta to treatment and eventually remove him from public ministry. Despite internal concerns and survivor reports, no criminal prosecution has been publicly documented in the United States. 

In November 2018, after review of historical records and survivor testimony, the Archdiocese of Chicago publicly added Peralta’s name to its list of clergy with substantiated allegations of child sexual abuse, reflecting institutional acknowledgment of credible allegations against him. 

Timeline

1980s — Served in Salesian ministries in Chile, Peru, and Guatemala; early allegations of abuse arise
1997 — Sent to Domus Mariae treatment center in Argentina following allegations of misconduct abroad
1998–1999 — Assigned to St. John Bosco Parish, Chicago; survivor lawsuit alleges abuse of four boys
August 1999 — Removed from public ministry and relocated to Salesian residence in New Jersey
1999–2000 — Sent to treatment facility in Virginia
2001 — Assigned to Salesian Provincial House in Mexico City with reported restrictions
November 2018 — Added to the Archdiocese of Chicago’s list of clergy with substantiated allegations 

Speak With an Attorney

If you or someone you know was sexually abused by Fr. Carlos Peralta or any Catholic clergy member in Illinois, you may still have legal options. The Injury Lawyer Team represents survivors of clergy abuse across the state.

Contact us to book a confidential consultation with an Illinois clergy abuse attorney. We are here to help you understand your rights and take legal action.

Sources

This page is based on public records, official Church disclosures, survivor accounts, and investigative reporting, including the following:

• Illinois Attorney General, Report on Catholic Clergy Child Sexual Abuse (2023)
• Archdiocese of Chicago, Narrative on Carlos Peralta
• Archdiocese of Chicago, List of Clergy with Substantiated Allegations

No criminal conviction is implied unless explicitly stated in public court records or official Church reports.

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.