Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Stephen Baker

Brother Stephen Baker was a teacher, trainer, and coach at various schools across the country. At many of these assignments, Baker sexually abused students under the guise of injury prevention practices. After numerous allegations and lawsuits, Baker took his own life in 2013. 

• Primary Entity Name: Stephen Baker
• Common Variations / Aliases: Brother Stephen Baker, Br. Baker, Br. Stephen, Steve Baker
• Role/Title at Time of Incident: Teacher, Coach, Trainer
• Current Status: Deceased (2013)

This page summarizes the history of abuse allegations against Brother Stephen Baker, his ministry assignments, and the institution’s response to his behavior.

Public Identification and Clergy Status

Baker had a well-documented history of sexual abuse against children. The lawsuits began piling up in 2005. The following entities have publicly identified Stephen Baker due to substantiated allegations of sexual abuse:

• The Archdiocese of St.Paul-Minnesota, in October 2014
• The Diocese of Youngstown, on October 29, 2018

Baker was publicly identified on these lists because he was considered credibly accused of sexual abuse. 

Key Status Facts

Ordination Year: N/A

Years in Active Ministry: 1970s-2012 (roughly 33 to 42 years)

Locations Where He Served: Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, PA, Diocese of Youngstown, OH, Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minnesota, Archdiocese of Detroit, and Virginia

Restrictions: Removed from ministry and supervised temporarily in 2000

Criminal Convictions: None

Laicization: N/A

Public Disclosure: October 2014 in the Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minnesota, October 2018 in the Diocese of Youngstown

Assignment History

Primary Diocese: Archdiocese of Detroit

Parish Assignments (as documented in public reports):

1970s – Holy Trinity in Norfolk, VA

1977-1981 – St. Patrick’s in Inver Grove Heights, MN

2001-2003 – St. Bernardine Monastery in Newark, PA

2004-2010 – St. Joseph Friary in Hollidaysburg, PA

2006-2010 – Augustinian Friaries in Malvern, PA

2012 – Saxony Hall in Rosemont, PA

Non-Church Assignments:

1978 – JFK High School in Youngstown, OH

1981-1983 – The Marist College in Washington, D.C. 

1983-1986 – St. Mary’s Preparatory High School in Orchard Lake, MI

1986-1992 – JFK High School in Warren, OH

1993-2001 – Bishop McCort High School in Johnstown, PA

2003-2006 – Monsignor Bonner High School in Drexel Hill, PA

2006-2012 – Malvern Preparatory School for Boys in Malvern, PA

Known Allegations

Brother Baker was accused of sexually abusing at least 80 young boys and girls, and likely many more, during his assignments at various schools throughout the country. 

The first known allegation of sexual abuse occurred in 1977 and was reported in 2003. More allegations came forward involving at least a dozen victims at JFK High School in the 1980s. Many of the allegations told the same story. Brother Baker would give massages to the athletes, telling them they were for injury prevention and recovery. However, these massages would include rubbing the victims’ genitals. 

According to diocesan documents, the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown was aware of allegations against Baker as early as 2009. In 2014, 88 survivors of abuse at Bishop McCort High School reached an $8 million settlement. 

In one case, a victim was in fourth grade when he attended a football game at Bishop McCort High School. Baker rubbed his genitals during the game. In 2002, when the victim began attending the school and wanted to join the football team, he withdrew after learning that Baker was the team’s trainer. The Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown also settled 28 more claims for $900,000 in 2016. There were also reports of sexual abuse claims against Baker during his stint in Michigan at St. Mary’s. 

Summary: Baker spent many years sexually abusing students at various schools around the country, but he was rarely held accountable until multiple lawsuits began piling up in the 2000s and 2010s, after which he took his own life in 2013. 

Overseeing Authorities During Key Periods: 

• Bishop John Joyce Russell in the Diocese of Richmond (1958-1973)
• Bishop Walter Francis Sullivan in the Diocese of Richmond (1974-2003)
• Archbishop John Robert Roach in the Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minnesota (1975-1995)
• Archbishop Edmund Casimir Szoka in the Archdiocese of Detroit (1981-1990)
• Bishop James William Malone in the Diocese of Youngstown (1968-1995)
• Bishop Joseph Victor Adamec in the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown (1987-2011)
• Bishop Mark Leonard Bartchak in the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown (2011-)

Associated Organizations:

• JFK High School, The Marist College, St. Mary’s Preparatory School, Bishop McCort High School, Monsignor Bonner High School, Malvern Preparatory School for Boys

Institutional Actions and Review

Baker was assigned to numerous dioceses in the eastern United States. Still, nearly all of them failed to take quick and decisive action in response to allegations of sexual abuse. Lawsuits were eventually filed against several friars for failing to hold the accused brother accountable for his conduct. 

In several instances, when accusations were made against Baker, he was simply reassigned to a new location in a different diocese. For example, the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown informed the public in 2013 that it had received reports of sexual abuse in 2011. In the Diocese of Youngstown, officials told the public in 2013 that they had heard the first reports of abuse in 2009. He was eventually added to lists of accused MI priests in multiple dioceses. 

Timeline

1970s – Began assignments at parishes and schools across the country

1977-2012 – Assigned to multiple schools, at which he abused dozens, if not hundreds, of children, often under the guise of injury treatment massages

2000 – Removed from ministry and supervised following sexual abuse allegations

2000-2013 – Assigned to friaries and monasteries instead of schools

2003 – More reports from survivors of abuse are brought forth

2005 – First lawsuit settled

2012 – More settlements are reached with multiple victims

2013 – Baker takes his own life

2014 – Identified as a sexual abuser in the Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minnesota

2018 – Identified as a sexual abuser in the Diocese of Youngstown

Speak With an Attorney

Suffering from clergy abuse can lead to a lifetime of physical and emotional damage. If you have been victimized by church officials in Michigan, the Injury Lawyer Team will stand by your side throughout the civil claims process. Together, we can hold the at-fault parties accountable while fighting for fair compensation for your legal damages. 

If you have suffered from sexual abuse by a priest or other clergy member, contact us today to schedule a free and confidential consultation with a Michigan clergy abuse lawyer. Our compassionate attorneys will provide a safe space for you to share your story and pursue justice.

Sources

This page is based on public records, official Church and diocesan disclosures, legal filings, and survivor reports, including:

• Bishop Accountability’s profile of Stephen Baker
• A timeline of assignments and abuse by Baker on Bishop Accountability’s website
• A lawsuit narrative from WJAC TV
• A list of credibly accused priests from the Diocese of Youngstown

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.