Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Joseph Alfonse Comperchio Jr.

This page documents Joseph Comperchio’s catholic school-related assignments, the publicly reported sexual abuse allegations, and the actions taken against him, as part of Injury Lawyer Team’s ongoing representation of survivors in Michigan clergy abuse cases.

• Primary Entity Name: Joseph Alfonse Comperchio Jr.
• Common Variations / Aliases: Joseph Comperchio, Joe Comperchio,  “Brother Joe”, Josef Comperchio
• Role/Title at Time of Incident: Catholic school teacher and church organist
• Current Status: Deceased

Public Identification and Clergy Status

Joseph Alfonse Comperchio Jr. is a former Catholic school teacher and church organist who was publicly identified as a credibly accused sexual abuser of minors by the Michigan Attorney General’s Office. His public identification came after a state-led investigation in response to historical abuse reports connected to a Catholic school environment.

That investigation ultimately resulted in his arrest, prosecution, conviction, and inclusion in the Attorney General’s Diocese of Lansing investigation materials, where his conduct, aliases, and institutional context were documented.

• Entity that Listed Him: Michigan Attorney General’s Office
• Reason for Listing: Credible and substantiated allegations of sexual abuse of minors, criminal convictions

Key Status Facts

Period of Service: Mid-1970s, active in a Catholic school and parish environment;

Locations Where He Served: St. John Catholic School, Jackson (MI)

Criminal Convictions: Convicted in 2021of first-degree CSC and second-degree CSC charges involving minors

Sentences: Sentenced to 12–30 years in prison

Second Set of Charges: Five additional second-degree criminal sexual conduct counts were added, involving additional individuals

Release from Prison: Not released

Died: June 2, 2022, while in custody

Public Disclosure: Named in official announcements and reports issued by the Michigan Attorney General’s Office

Assignment History

Primary Archdiocese: Diocese of Lansing

Parish Assignments (as documented in public reports):

• St. John the Evangelist Parish – Jackson, MI (Mid-1970s)

Non-Church Assignments:

• St. John Catholic School – Jackson, MI (approximately 1974–1977)

Comperchio Jr. was associated with parish activities through his role as church organist and as a school teacher during the period when the alleged abuse occurred. Public records do not specify precise start or end dates for these roles, and the timeframes above are based on the periods referenced in investigative and court materials.

Known Allegations

Public records indicate that the allegations against Joseph Alfonse Comperchio Jr. involve sexual abuse of multiple minors that allegedly occurred during the mid-to-late 1970s while he was active in a Catholic school and parish environment in Jackson, Michigan. 

The alleged misconduct is primarily associated with St. John Catholic School, where he worked as a teacher and had regular, unsupervised access to children, with parish-related activities forming part of the surrounding context. 

Survivors reported that the abuse occurred when they were very young, in some instances as young as nine, during periods tied to school or church functions.

Decades later, these historical reports were brought to authorities and triggered a state-led investigation conducted by the Michigan Attorney General’s Office. As investigators gathered testimony and reviewed corroborating evidence, multiple survivor accounts emerged, establishing a broader pattern of alleged abuse rather than a single incident. 

The investigation advanced through formal legal channels, resulting in Comperchio’s arrest and prosecution in Michigan state court after he was located and arrested in Fort Myers, Florida, and extradited to Michigan.

The case ultimately concluded with criminal convictions, reflecting findings that the allegations were supported by sufficient evidence to meet the legal standard for guilt. Those outcomes led to his incarceration and mandatory sex-offender registration, and his case was later documented in the Attorney General’s Diocese of Lansing investigation materials. 

While Comperchio does not appear on the accused Michigan clergy list, the legal process examined how his lay position within a Catholic institutional setting enabled prolonged access to minors and contributed to the delayed reporting of the alleged abuse. 

However, it’s important to note that the Diocese of Lansing’s list that they publish only includes priests who have been credibly accused by the diocesan review board; not every individual criminally prosecuted or involved in the same investigation.

Summary: Joseph Alfonse Comperchio Jr. sexually abused multiple minors while working in a Catholic school in the 1970s, and he was arrested, prosecuted, convicted, and sentenced to prison in 2021.

Overseeing Authorities During Key Periods

• Alexander J. Zaleski – Bishop of the Diocese of Lansing.
• Kenneth J. Povish – Bishop of the Diocese of Lansing.

Institutional Actions and Review

Public records indicate that Diocese of Lansing authorities were not contemporaneously notified of allegations involving Joseph Alfonse Comperchio Jr.’s alleged sexual abuse of minors during the 1970s, the period in which the misconduct is alleged to have occurred. 

There is no documentation showing that complaints about Comperchio’s conduct were reported to diocesan officials, school administrators, or parish leadership at the time, and no publicly released Church records reflect internal concern, investigation, or disciplinary review during that period.

Institutional awareness arose decades later, after survivors disclosed Comperchio’s alleged abuse to law enforcement rather than through Church reporting channels. Those disclosures triggered a state-led investigation, which brought the matter to the attention of Church authorities indirectly. 

Because Comperchio was a lay individual and not in active service within a Catholic institution when the allegations surfaced, there is no public record of diocesan restrictions, removal, or reassignment.

Timeline

Mid-1970s — Active in a Catholic school and parish environment in Jackson, Michigan, serving in lay roles as a school teacher and church organist.

Approximately 1974–1977 — Alleged sexual abuse of minors reported to have occurred during this period, primarily associated with St. John Catholic School and related parish activities.

Decades later (reporting date not publicly specified) — Survivors disclosed historical abuse to law enforcement rather than through internal Church channels.

2019 — Allegations concerning Comperchio were received and developed through state investigative intake, forming part of a broader review of historical abuse connected to Catholic institutions.

September 2020 — Arrested and charged in Michigan state court following a state-led investigation conducted by the Michigan Attorney General’s Office.

2021 — Additional charges added as further survivor reports were investigated; Comperchio pleaded guilty to criminal sexual conduct counts.

August 2021 — Sentenced to 12–30 years in prison and required to register as a sex offender.

Post-sentencing (public disclosure) — Case details, aliases, and institutional context documented in the Attorney General’s Diocese of Lansing investigation materials, reflecting disclosure after later review rather than contemporaneous Church action.

2022 — Died while incarcerated, reportedly of natural causes.

Speak With an Attorney

If you experienced sexual abuse involving Joseph Alfonse Comperchio Jr. or another individual connected to a Catholic institution in Michigan, you may have legal options available. Injury Lawyer Team represents survivors of clergy and institutional abuse statewide and focuses on holding both individuals and institutions accountable. You can speak privately with a Michigan clergy abuse attorney who understands the sensitivity of these cases, will listen without judgment, and can explain your options at your own pace.

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.