Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Gary D. Berthiaume

This page outlines the assignments, allegations, and institutional actions involving Fr. Gary D. Berthiaume, a priest associated with the Archdiocese of Detroit, Michigan, the Diocese of Joliet, and the Diocese of Cleveland, as part of the Injury Lawyer Team’s work representing survivors of clergy abuse in Illinois.

• Primary Entity Name: Gary D. Berthiaume
• Common Variations / Aliases: Father Gary Berthiaume, Fr. Gary D. Berthiaume, Gary Berthiaume
• Role/Title at Time of Alleged Abuse: Parish Priest
• Current Status: Removed from ministry; listed as credibly accused; laicized

Public Identification and Clergy Status

Fr. Gary D. Berthiaume was publicly identified as a priest with credible allegations of sexual abuse of minors by:

• Bishop Accountability
• Illinois Attorney General
• Archdiocese of Detroit, MI
• Diocese of Joliet, IL
• Archdiocese of Chicago
• Diocese of Cleveland, OH

According to publicly available summaries, the allegations against Berthiaume involve abuse of minors during his parish ministry in the Detroit, Cleveland, and Joliet areas. The Archdiocese later acknowledged the allegations and included Berthiaume on its list of priests with substantiated or credible abuse claims.

• Entity that Listed Him: Archdiocese of Detroit, Michigan, Diocese of Joliet, Illinois, Diocese of Cleveland, Ohio, BishopAccountability.org, Illinois Attorney General’s Clergy Report
• Reason for Listing: Credible allegations of sexual abuse of minors during parish ministry; continuous lapses in judgment after being released from prison and returning to ministry, such as taking trips alone with young men

Key Status Facts

Ordination Year: 1968

Years in Active Ministry: 34

Primary Archdiocese: Archdiocese of Detroit, Michigan

Locations Where He Served: Multiple parishes in the Chicago area

Restrictions: Removed from ministry; laicized

Criminal Charges: Sentenced to six months in prison in 1978 for sexual abuse in Michigan; Between 17 months and five years for two counts of criminal sexual conduct

Reported Survivors: 4

Civil Lawsuits: Referenced in survivor reports and institutional reviews

Public Disclosure: Included on Archdiocesan lists of credibly accused clergy and the 2023 Illinois AG report

Assignment History

Primary Archdiocese: Archdiocese of Detroit, Michigan

Other Parish/Diocese Assignments: 

• St. Joseph’s, Wyandotte, MI (1969-1973)
• Our Lady of Sorrows Church, Farmington, MI (1974-1978)
• Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Cleveland, OH (1988)
• Cenacle Retreat House, Warrenville, IL (1988-1990)
• Good Samaritan Hospital, Downers Grove, IL (1990-2002)

Known Allegations

Gary D. Berthiaume was accused of sexually abusing minors while serving as a parish priest in various locations. The alleged abuse occurred during his active ministry and involved minors who were under his pastoral supervision at the time.

The first allegation, which was in Michigan in the 1970s, resulted in a six-month prison sentence. Although the priest admitted to acting inappropriately in Cleveland, there were no public reports or sexual abuse allegations. 

However, many victims came forward in the 2000s. In September 2020, he was charged with one count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct. In June 2021, two additional cases were filed against him, leading to charges of second-degree criminal sexual conduct and two counts of gross indecency. 

He pleaded guilty to the charges in 2022, leading to another prison sentence. He was sentenced to 17 months and five years for each count. 

Summary: Gary D. Berthiaume was credibly accused of sexually abusing minors during his parish ministry in the Archdiocese of Chicago and was removed from ministry following internal review.

Overseeing Authorities During Key Periods

• Bishop Imesch – Pastor in Detroit, Bishop of Joliet
• Bishop James A. Hickey – Cleveland Bishop

Institutional Actions and Review

Berthiaume began his priesthood with promise. He was an associate pastor to Pastor Imesch, who would later become the Bishop of Joliet. Those around him were shocked when sexual abuse allegations were made in 1977, and even more shocked when he was convicted of sexual abuse in 1978. 

While the legal system sentenced him to six months in prison, the religious order appeared to think it was a one-time incident that would stay in Detroit, Michigan. This was long before the Illinois Attorney General’s Report listed him as one of the credibly accused clergy members in Illinois.

Parishioners were not informed about the incident and did not learn of it until they heard it on the news. The priest was given a fresh start at the Diocese of Cleveland, Ohio. There were no other actions taken by the religious order. 

The priest admitted to the Cleveland bishop that there were several times he used poor judgment in a three-year span, and he took young men out alone. The letter implied he had gone back to his old ways. 

However, the Cleveland bishop did not warn parishioners, nor did he provide assistance to the boy who made sexual abuse allegations against the priest. Instead, Father Berthiaume was sent to a psychiatric facility for an evaluation and treatment. 

After that, he was not welcomed back to the Diocese of Cleveland. Instead, he wound up practicing ministry in the Diocese of Joliet, where Imesch, his former pastor, was now the Bishop. 

Following this review, the Archdiocese determined that the allegations were credible and removed Berthiaume from ministry. His name was later included on the Archdiocese’s public list of clergy accused of sexual abuse of minors. No contemporaneous parish warnings from the time of the alleged abuse have been documented.

Survivor advocates have criticized the delayed disclosure, noting that the alleged abuse occurred decades before any public acknowledgment and that earlier institutional intervention may have reduced the risk of additional harm.

Timeline

1968: Ordained

1960s–1970s: Active parish ministry

1977: Alleged abuse happened at Our Lady of Sorrows, Farmington, MI

1978: Convicted of sexually abusing a child and sentenced to six months in prison

1978: Began ministry in Cleveland, Ohio

1970s–1980s: Period during which alleged abuse reportedly occurred

1987: Planned a raft trip with three young men

1988: Sent to a psychiatric facility in Maryland for evaluation and treatment

1988: Arrived at the Diocese of Joliet 

1988: Assigned to be a chaplain at the Cenacle, a retreat run by women

1990: Appointed as the Catholic chaplain at Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove

2002: Removed from ministry by the Diocese of Cleveland

2007: Laicized

2019: Placed on lists of credibly accused clergy by the Diocese of Joliet, Diocese of Cleveland, and Archdiocese of Michigan

2020: Extradited to Michigan to stand trial for sexual abuse allegations from 1977

2022: Pleaded guilty to charges related to criminal sexual conduct

Speak With an Attorney

If you or someone you love was abused by Fr. Gary D. Berthiaume or another priest in the Archdiocese of Chicago, you may still have legal options under Illinois law. The Injury Lawyer Team represents survivors of clergy abuse across the state.

Contact a clergy sexual abuse lawyer in Illinois to learn more about your rights and options.

Sources

This page is based on public records, official Church disclosures, and survivor reports. Sources include:

• Bishop Accountability, which maintains documentation related to allegations against Fr. Gary D. Berthiaume, including disclosure status and parish service history.
• The Illinois Attorney General’s Clergy Report provides details regarding allegations
• This survivor narrative details the way this predator was moved from one diocese to another, committing crimes in each of them
• The Diocese of Cleveland lists Berthiaume as a credibly accused priest
• The Michigan Attorney General’s website has articles with the details of criminal charges and sentencing

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.