Florida Catholic Diocese Priest Sex Abuse List

List of Accused Priests in Florida

The Catholic Church has been at the center of a sexual abuse scandal over the last few years for alleged abusive clergy members that spans over multiple decades. Clergy sexual abuse is prevalent in all 50 states, including Florida.

Injury Lawyer Team has compiled a list of priests accused of abuse, including convicted and charged offenders. Our compassionate legal team is committed to helping Florida’s victims of clergy sexual abuse.

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Last Name	First Name	Diocese	Status	Accusations (Summary)
Arandia	Arnulfo	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Sued	Accused of abusing a youth in Miami in 1988. Moved to the Jackson MS diocese in 2000, suspended in 2002, and believed to have fled to Ecuador.
Carrera	Francisco	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Sued	A former altar boy sued Carrera in 2002 and a second suit was filed in 2011 alleging abuse of a 10-year-old boy in 1976 at the same parish.
Castellanos	Ricardo	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Settled	Castellanos was placed on leave in 2002 due to allegations he sexually abused a boy, ages 14-16, in the early 1970s. He retired in 2005 when a new suit was filed.
Castillo	Rolando	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Sued	Accused of sexually abusing a 17-year-old youth in 2001. Cleared by the archdiocese in 2009 and was to be reassigned to a different parish.
Calimari	Joseph	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Sued	A boy and his older brother were sexually abused at Christ the King in Perrine in the 1960s.
Cassetta	Charles	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Settled	Cassetta was accused of sexually abusing a female student at Cardinal Newman High School in West Palm Beach. He left the priesthood, married and was last known to be living in Maryland.
Cieply	Benjamin	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Accused	In 2018, Cieply was publicly accused by the Legionaries of child sexual abuse. The Vatican determined that it could not reach moral certainty that abuse occurred, but dismissed Cieply from ministry.
Cinesi	Joseph	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Settled	In the late 1970s- early 1980s, Cinesi had sexual contact with at least 100 boys. Five lawsuits were settled between 1999 and 2001.
D’Angelo	Rocco Charles	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Settled	The Miami Archdiocese knew in 1966-1967 that D’Angelo had molested at least 4-5 boys. Several suits were filed, some settled, others were dismissed on the statute of limitations, and one man sued again in 2002.
Ramirez	Carlos Humberto	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Arrested	Ordained for the permanent diaconate 2008. Arrested on charges of molesting two students.
Dennehy	Thomas A.	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Sued	Dennehy was ordained in Ireland and was the parish pastor and Cardinal Gibbons High School principal. A man claimed that Dennehy abused him when he was 12 and 13.
Doherty	Neil “Gus”	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Convicted	Parish priest, counselor for Catholic Family Services, drugged and raped boys, kept them calling him “Gus”, was warned of his behavior many times, was kept in ministry until 4/2002, was arrested in 2006, settled in 2006, and was sentenced to 15 years in 2013.
Eggleton	Christopher T.	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Sued	A civil suit was filed in Miami alleging sexual abuse by Eggleton 1990-1991, but he was found innocent and began work as prior in Raleigh, NC.
Engbers	Thomas J.	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Accused	Engbers resigned from his parish in 2002 citing health reasons, but the Archdiocese later confirmed that his resignation was because of a complaint of child sexual abuse 22 years prior.
Escala	Rafael	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Settled	A man notified the Archdiocese that Escala had sexually abused him in the late 1980s when he was 16. The claim was settled in 1/2013.
Fernandez	Miguel A.	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Settled	A young teenage boy, living at a church-operated refugee facility, alleged abuse by multiple priests in a 2005 civil suit against the Archdiocese of Miami.
Flemming	James K.	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Sued	A man filed suit in 2004 alleging that he was abused by Flemming and his brother, Rev. Neil Flemming, at Boystown, a Miami-area orphanage.
Garcia	Rolando G.	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Settled	Garcia was accused of sexual abuse of 11-year-old boy in 1989 at St. John Bosco in Little Havana. He denied all allegations and resigned 11/30/2012.
Garcia-Rubio	Ernesto	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Settled	Garcia-Rubio was accused of sexually abusing four Nicaraguan and Salvadoran refugee boys, and was removed from his parish’s faculties in 1989. He was defrocked in 1999 and was known to befriend and offer help to teenage boys, mostly immigrants.
Guerrero	Joaquin	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Settled	Accused of raping and abusing a boy in 1962, after he came to FL under a program sponsored by the Archdiocese.
Gonzalez-Abreu	Hector	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Indicted	Gonzalez-Abreu was accused of sexually abusing a teenage boy, but was later cleared by the Archdiocese.
Guichard	Alvaro	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Settled	Guichard was accused of abuse of a teenage boy in the 1970s, was reinstated as pastor after 15 months on leave, and named in at least four suits.
Harris	L. Yates	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Sued	Harris was accused of sexually abusing a 17-year-old boy in 1982. The victim said the counseling office at the school was lined with pictures Harris had taken of shirtless male students.
Huck	Joseph	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Settled	Accused of sexually abusing a boy, ages 12-14, in the mid-1970s. The boy told his house parent and director, who punished him, and Archbishop McCarthy.
Jove	Pedro	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Sued	A boy, age 14, was abused by a priest in 1981 and 1982. The priest left the archdiocese 20 years prior and “formally left the priesthood” 12 years prior.
Kershner	Joseph J.	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Sued	Cardinal Gibbons High School principal was suspended in 2002 due to allegations of abuse in the 1980s, but was cleared by the Review Board.
LaCerra	Gerard T.	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Settled	Monsignor LaCerra was accused of sexually abusing a youth in the early 1980s, and was also accused of destroying incriminating files regarding other priests and protecting Rev. Neil Doherty.
Malicki	Jan	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Settled	Malicki was accused of abusing a 13-year-old girl and a woman in 1998. His suit against the Archdiocese was dismissed in 2003.
Martinez	Otto	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Accused	Reportedly in 2004 Martinez was investigated among around 20 archdiocesan priests by prosecutors. No charges were filed due to the statute of limitations.
McDonald	Kevin T.	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Accused	McDonald was named publicly as credibly accused by the Las Cruces diocese in 2020.
Meidinger	Joan Marie	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Sued	Accused of groping and fondling a first grade boy at St. James Catholic School in North Miami. Died in 2001.
Mercieca	Anthony	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Settled	Mercieca was ordained for the Diocese of Gozo, Malta, and assigned in the Archdiocese of Miami from the mid-1960s through the early 2000s. He admitted fondling altar boy Mark Foley and performing oral sex on him in the late 1970s.
Miyares	Gustavo J.	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Sued	Accused of abusing a boy, age 14, in 1981 and 1982 at a Palm Beach County seminary, a Miami rectory and a condominium in the Keys. Resigned as pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish.
Nickse	Jose Pablo	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Settled	Nickse was placed on leave in 2002 after a lawsuit claimed he and Fr. Ricardo Castellanos abused a 15-year-old youth.
O’Brien	Kevin F.	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Sued	O’Brien was accused of sexual misconduct in 1978 and 1979 with a student at Mary Help of Christians School in Tampa.
O’Farrill	Juan Ramon	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Sued	A 16-year-old boy from Nicaragua sought counseling from O’Farrill in 1988. O’Farrill allegedly gave the boy alcohol in orange juice and performed oral sex on him.
Parlangeli	Anthony R.	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Convicted	At age 15 a man was drugged and raped by Parlangeli, who was arrested for administering drugs illegally. Parlangeli left the order in 1973, married and raised three children, and died in 1997.
Puertas	Cristobal de Jesus	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Settled	A civil suit was filed in 2010 against Puertas, who was no longer a priest in the Archdiocese.
Ringenberger	Harry	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Sued	Fr. Bud Ringenberger is accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old boy in 1989 at St. Maximilian Kolbe Catholic Church, Pembroke Pines FL.
Sokol	Edward W.	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Convicted	Arrested in 2001 for arranging over the internet to meet a 15-year-old boy for sex, pleaded no contest to computer pornography, and was ordered to leave his group home in 2002 by social services.
Smith	Trevor	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Guilty plea	Smith was accused of sexually abusing a 10-year-old boy over four years in the late 1990s. He was sentenced to two years house arrest and eight years probation.
Walsh	Bryan O.	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Sued	Walsh, a Miami priest, was accused of sexual abuse of a 14-year-old boy in 1964. The boy was a ward of Operation Pedro Pan, which Walsh founded and directed.
Walk	Donald J.	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Settled	Walk is accused of abusing a teenage boy in the 1970s-1980s, and another plaintiff alleges abuse 1977-1982.
Ward	Kenneth	Archdiocese of Miami FL	Sued	Three men in their mid-20s allege that Ward abused them in the early 2000s. He left the order in 2008 and got a state license as a registered nurse in 2012.
Bendixen	Arthur	Diocese of Orlando FL	Settled	Bendixen was Chancellor of the Diocese of Orlando 1984-1991, Seminary rector 1991-1993, and vice president for programs and partnerships for the AIDS Foundation of Chicago from 2009 until his retirement in 2016.
Coyle	James M.	Diocese of Orlando FL	Accused	Accused of sexual molestations over five years in the 1980s at St. Peter’s in DeLand, and of plying boys with marijuana and alcohol. Died in 2007
Donnelly	Cyril J.	Diocese of Orlando FL	Accused	Born in England, ordained in Belgium, spent early priesthood in West Africa, served in the British Colonial Service military chaplaincy during WWII, and was assigned to Church of the Epiphany in Port Orange, FL.
Emerson	Richard A.	Diocese of Orlando FL	Sued	Litigation alleges that the Gary IN Diocese knew of Emerson’s abusive history, but allowed him to work in Orlando in 1986. A man from Orlando filed a civil suit in 2004, and a second civil suit in 2008.
Garcia	Emilio	Diocese of Orlando FL	Accused	Garcia was accused of sexually abusing a girl in the 1960s and was removed from his post. He died in 2020.
Ingram	James	Diocese of Orlando FL	Accused	Ingram was named publicly as credibly accused by the Diocese of Orlando on 10/6/2021, but is absent from the Directory thereafter.
Honc	Kathleen Francis	Diocese of Orlando FL	Accused	Hoc was accused of molesting a girl sometime between 1962-1971 at Melbourne Central Catholic High School. She was removed from her assignment in Seminole, FL, and died 9/9/2016.
McNicholas	Stephen	Diocese of Orlando FL	Accused	Named publicly as credibly accused by the Diocese of Orlando on its list 10/6/2021. From Ireland.
O’Dowd	Eamon	Diocese of Orlando FL	Settled	Ordained in Ireland for the Diocese of Grand Island, NE, but was investigated for fondling two 12-year-old girls. Arrested in 1983 for fondling another girl, age 12, but charges dropped after he agreed to psychiatric treatment.
III	Thomas James Pagni,	Diocese of Orlando FL	Convicted	Accused of sexually abusing two young boys and another boy, Pagni was put through school for a mental health counseling career in 1986 in exchange for leaving the priesthood. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison and released in 7/2000.
Redmond	Lawrence	Diocese of Orlando FL	Settled	Parish pastor, vicar general, was placed on leave and later retired after allegations of abuse became public. Other victims were expected to file.
Ruse	Fred	Diocese of Orlando FL	Reinstated	Accused of sexually abusing a boy, about ages 14 and 15, in 2001 and 2002. He was pastor at the time of the alleged abuse and was “cleared of any wrongdoing” in 2020.
Salazar	Oscar	Diocese of Orlando FL	Accused	Salazar was accused of groping a 17-year-old boy in 1996, but was not charged. He was sent to St. Luke Institute for treatment, and was never assigned in the diocese again.
Sheedy	Patrick J.	Diocese of Orlando FL	Accused	The attorney for a minor plaintiff announced he would soon file suit against Sheedy. Sheedy emphatically denied the allegations.
Sykes	Thomas D.	Diocese of Orlando FL	Settled	The Orlando diocese removed Father Thomas Sykes from the parish in 1976 after the parents of a 16-year-old boy complained that he had molested their son. Father Sykes was laicized and married.
Tran	Joseph Anh Dung	Diocese of Orlando FL	Accused	Joseph Tran was named publicly as credibly accused by the Orlando diocese on its list 10/6/2021.
Uniowski	Peter	Diocese of Orlando FL	Accused	A 12-year-old girl accused a priest of inappropriate sexual behavior. The priest was permanently removed from his parish assignment and included on a list of credibly accused.
Uhran	Vernon	Diocese of Orlando FL	Settled	Uhran is accused of abusing at least two boys in the early 1970s. He pleaded the 5th amendment 90 times in an 8/2008 deposition and is included on the diocese’s 10/6/2021 list of credibly accused.
Collins	Edwin J.	Diocese of Palm Beach FL	Accused	Collins, a retired priest from Rockville Centre, NY, made advances toward a teenager in Palm Beach, FL, and the boy fought him off and immediately told the Diocese. Collins’ name was not released publicly in 2002 with other accused clergy.
Flynn	Frank	Diocese of Palm Beach FL	Settled	From Ireland, Flynn worked in FL since at least 1978. He was accused of kissing and groping a young girl 1979-1986 and of making unwanted sexual advances toward at least three women, an “affair” with at least one woman.
Guimaraes	Elias Francisco	Diocese of Palm Beach FL	Convicted	Guimaraes arrived in Palm Beach diocese in 2001, was arrested in 2002, and sentenced to four years and three months in federal prison. He may have been deported to Brazil upon release.
Maloney	Francis Edward	Diocese of Palm Beach FL	Settled	Maloney was removed from a Florida parish in 2002 after a 17-year-old accused him of behaving inappropriately around him. He admitted to a long-term, “sporadic” sexual relationship with another priest.
Palimattom	Jose	Diocese of Palm Beach FL	Convicted	Arrested, charged with obscenity, served six months in jail, deported to India, assigned to Holy Name of Jesus, West Palm Beach, claimed demotion/poor treatment by the Diocese, filed suit against the Diocese, and the court dismissed the suit.
Symons	Joseph Keith	Diocese of Palm Beach FL	Accused	Bishop Symons molested five boys early in his ministry (1958-1960s) in the Miami archdiocese and admitted the abuse in 1998. The Bishop of Pensacola-Tallassahee knew of the abuse in 1995 but did nothing.
Godugunuru	Vijaya Bhaskar	Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee FL	Convicted	From India, accused of sexually abusing a 15-year-old girl in Florida. Pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, but did not serve prison time.
Bluett	James K.	Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee FL	Accused	From Ireland, where he was ordained. Named publicly as credibly accused by the diocese on its list in 2020. Permanently removed from ministry in 2008.
Castillo	Richard	Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee FL	Accused	Admitted to abusing four boys, but was never prosecuted due to the statute of limitations. Two brothers said they had previously told the Diocese of their abuse, but were ignored.
Jr.	Michael A. Cherup,	Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee FL	Accused	The Diocese learned of an allegation that Cherup sexually abused a 15-year-old boy in 1993, and removed Cherup without privileges from St. Mary’s in Fort Walton Beach. Cherup denied all allegations.
Crandall	Thomas Anthony	Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee FL	Convicted	Assigned to St. Rose of Lima in Milton when arrested for dealing drugs and taking money from the parish. Sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Flaherty	James J.	Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee FL	Accused	Monsignor Flaherty sexually abused a boy, age 12 or 13 to 14, beginning in 2011. No criminal prosecution due to the statute of limitations.
Gordon	Tom	Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee FL	Reinstated	The diocese received complaints about Gordon from three Little Flower Catholic School students, but found no evidence of lewd or lascivious touching.
Halstead	Philip E.	Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee FL	Accused	Parish priest, U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel, and president of Pensacola Catholic High School.
Hevia	Todd O.	Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee FL	Accused	Named publicly as credibly accused by the diocese on its list in 2020. Noted to have been permanently removed from ministry in 1997.
Jones	Edward T.	Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee FL	Accused	Eddie was removed from ministry in 2018 due to allegations of inappropriate contact with an underage girl in 2004.
McCreanor	David	Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee FL	Accused	McCreanor was accused by three sisters of seducing them in the 1980s when they were teenagers. He denied all allegations and was permanently removed from his parish in 1997.
Naslund	Sebastian C.	Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee FL	Accused	Ordained for the Benedictine Order, U.S. Air Force Chaplain, teacher and chaplain at St. Martin’s College, Panama City FL. Named publicly as credibly accused.
Pathe	Timothy	Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee FL	Accused	Monsignor. Worked in Mobile AL, St. Augustine FL, Pensacola-Tallahassee FL, and died in 1977.
Reczek	Louis J.	Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee FL	Accused	Priest of the LaSalette Province of Mary, Mother of the Americas Missionaries. Named publicly as credibly accused by the Pensacola-Tallahassee diocese in 2020.
Terminello	Arthur	Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee FL	Accused	The Pensacola-Tallahassee diocese named him as credibly accused in 2020. His conviction was overturned in 1949.
Wever	Michael	Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee FL	Accused	Named publicly as credibly accused by the Pensacola-Tallahassee diocese on its list in 2020. Was withdrawn from ministry in 1983.
Bowles	Richard J.	Diocese of St. Augustine FL	Settled	Monsignor Bowles resigned in 2003 after admitting to molesting a boy 34 years prior. A second man came forward to allege abuse by Bowles at age 15 in 1971.
Brault	Gilles J.R.	Diocese of St. Augustine FL	Accused	From Montreal, Canada. Named publicly as accused by the St. Augustine diocese on its list 11/6/2020.
Dux	John H.	Diocese of St. Augustine FL	Accused	The Diocese removed Dux from ministry after he was credibly accused of sexually abusing a minor in 1976. A second man came forward after the announcement of Dux’s removal, alleging the priest abused him as a boy 1980-1982.
Litts	Howard T.	Diocese of St. Augustine FL	Accused	Ordained for the Diocese of Steubenville, accused by the St. Augustine diocese, died in FL in 1980.
Degollado	Marcial Maciel	Diocese of St. Augustine FL	Settled	From Mexico, founder of the Legionaries of Christ in 1941, had seminarians in 18 countries by 1997. Maciel was suspended from Legion leadership by Pope Pius XII, but reinstated in 1958. By 2019, all but three men who had come forward accepted settlements from the Legionaries.
Malone	William J.	Diocese of St. Augustine FL	Accused	Malone was credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor in the early 1980s at Sacred Heart in Jacksonville. At least four women had reported abuse by Malone to the Diocese, which paid the mother $3K per year for child support.
McNamara	Thomas V.	Diocese of St. Augustine FL	Accused	McNamara was accused in 2004 of inappropriate contact with three minors. He was a visiting priest from Ireland assigned to Christ the King and St. Patrick’s parishes in Jacksonville 1966-1968.
Mena	Jose	Diocese of St. Augustine FL	Settled	Accused of abusing a 5th-grade boy many times during the 1965-1966 school year at Incarnation Catholic School. Two 2008 suits alleged abuse in the 1960s and 1970s in the Orlando diocese.
Morgan	David Terrence	Diocese of St. Augustine FL	Accused	In 2020 the Diocese announced to parishioners that Morgan was being investigated for multiple allegations. In 2020 someone reported to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office that Morgan had a sexual relationship with a Bishop Kenny High School student in 1977.
Morse	Michael E.	Diocese of St. Augustine FL	Accused	Named publicly as accused by the diocese on its list 11/6/2020. Abuse noted to have occurred 1989-1991.
Prusinski	Leonard	Diocese of St. Augustine FL	Arrested	Prusinski was named publicly as credibly accused by the Resurrectionist Order in 10/2021 and the Chicago Archdiocese in 10/2022. He died in 1995.
Walsh	James Flannan	Diocese of St. Augustine FL	Accused	From Ireland. Arrived in the Diocese of St. Augustine in 8/1965, several months after ordination. Named publicly as accused by the diocese on its list 11/6/2020. Abuse noted to have occurred 1965-1966. Died in Florida 5/14/2013.
Weinheimer	William J.	Diocese of St. Augustine FL	Sued	A man filed a civil suit against Weinheimer, claiming he was sexually abused as a boy in 1954. The diocese was investigating.
Acosta	Jorge	Diocese of St. Petersburg FL	Settled	Acosta joined seminary at age 17 and left religious life in 1983. He was named as abuser in 2005 and admitted to sexual relations with three students in 1983 when he was teacher and cleric at school.
Allen	Richard J.	Diocese of St. Petersburg FL	Accused	A man told the Diocese that Allen abused him for two years, but the Diocese denied any prior knowledge and Allen’s file did not raise any red flags. Allen died in 2007 at age 64.
Appleby	Russell Gerald	Diocese of St. Petersburg FL	Guilty plea	Gerald Russell Appleby was accused of molestation over a 2-year period in 1994. He was removed from ministry in the Corpus Christi diocese in 1983 and sentenced to 12 years prison and 20 years sex offender probation.
Berko	Matthew	Diocese of St. Petersburg FL	Convicted	Priest who abused a 14-year-old girl, served a year of probation, and was removed as pastor of a Ukrainian Catholic church in St. Petersburg FL.
Bernabe	Polienato	Diocese of St. Petersburg FL	Indicted	A priest from the Philippines was accused of repeatedly raping a girl in the St. Petersburg diocese from 1978-1986. He fled the country after allegations became known in 2002 and died in 2004.
Balthazar	Norman G.	Diocese of St. Petersburg FL	Settled	Balthazar was initially charged with soliciting a lewd act from an undercover police officer, but the charges were dismissed and he returned to ministry. A man claimed abuse by Balthazar in the early 1980s when he was 17.
Burke	William Michael	Diocese of St. Petersburg FL	Sued	A 2002 civil suit was filed against a Salesian brother for abuse in 1986-1987. The suit was dismissed, and the brother is possibly living in Virginia.
Casula	John	Diocese of St. Petersburg FL	Sued	Cosula was accused of sexual abuse of boys at Mary Help of Christians boarding school in Tampa FL, 1976-1978. He was included on the order’s list of credibly accused in 3/2020.
Clementi	Innocente	Diocese of St. Petersburg FL	Settled	Accused of sexually abusing at least two boys at Mary Help of Christians school, East Lake, FL. Died in 1999.
Day	Peter	Diocese of St. Petersburg FL	Accused	Professed vows as a Salesian brother in 1961. Named publicly as accused by the Salesian order on its list in 3/2020. Worked at Mary Help of Christians in Tampa. Withdrew in 1965 from the Salesians.
Hamm	Louis	Diocese of St. Petersburg FL	Accused	Rev. Louis Hamm was named publicly as accused by the FL Attorney General in its report released 11/6/2020, name misspelled “Lewis”. He died 1/8/1988 in Butler, NJ, age 86.
Hernandez	Ramon	Diocese of St. Petersburg FL	Reinstated	A man accused Hernandez of abuse in 1999 when the man was 16; Hernandez denied the allegations. Police investigated; no charges filed.
Hidding	Thomas J.	Diocese of St. Petersburg FL	Accused	Hidding was removed from his assignment in 2002 after a credible allegation of molestation. He worked at Jesuit College Prep in Dallas, TX from 1982-1983.
Letourneaux	Stephen	Diocese of St. Petersburg FL	Accused	Professed vows as a Salesian brother in 1965. Worked at Mary Help of Christians School in Tampa. Left the order in 1973. Included in 3/2020 on the Salesians’ list of credibly accused.
Lara	James C.	Diocese of St. Petersburg FL	Settled	Lara was accused of touching and making sexual advances toward the daughter of the parish music directors, who had been fired five months earlier. The suit was “amiably resolved” in 1990.
Lau	William A.	Diocese of St. Petersburg FL	Accused	Pastor Lau was accused of a sexual incident involving a teenage boy years earlier, resigned from the parish, and sought employment elsewhere.
Luka	Ronald John	Diocese of St. Petersburg FL	Settled	In two 2002 civil suits Luka is accused of abusing three male students at St. Helen’s Catholic School in Lauderdale Lakes. He was permanently removed from ministry and lived at Wounded Brothers Project in MO.
McLoughlin	Nicholas	Diocese of St. Petersburg FL	Accused	McLoughlin was suspended from ministry in 2018 after an allegation of inappropriate contact with a minor. He was also accused of groping and sexually assaulting a woman during confession in 2018 and in about 9/2017.
Mulryan	Thomas J.	Diocese of St. Petersburg FL	Accused	Mulryan was accused of abuse of three boys at Notre Dame International School in Rome, Italy, in the early 1960s, and was placed on leave in 1994. He denied all allegations.
O’Donnell	Terence	Diocese of St. Petersburg FL	Sued	Sued in 2003 and 2004 by three people accusing him of abusing them at a boarding school in the early 1990s. Placed on leave in 2003 after suit filed.
Reason	Hubert John	Diocese of St. Petersburg FL	Settled	In 2002, several individuals came forward with credible accusations that they had been abused by Reason as minors. Reason was accused of abusing several altar boys, and was included on the St. Petersburg diocese’s list of credibly accused.
Rhodes	Michael S.	Diocese of St. Petersburg FL	Accused	In 2004, Rhodes was accused of sexually abusing two boys in the late 1970s. He left the ministry in 1993 and was possibly living in Florida.
Rogge	Norman J.	Diocese of St. Petersburg FL	Convicted	Pleaded guilty to contributing to the delinquency of a minor in 1967, was charged with sexual battery on a boy under 14 in 1985, and was sentenced to one year in jail.
Sanders	Jan	Diocese of St. Petersburg FL	Accused	Allegedly abused a minor when visiting the diocese in the 1980s. Name included in the FL Attorney General’s report 11/6/2020.
Salis	Benet G.	Diocese of St. Petersburg FL	Accused	In 2018, the St. Vincent Archabbey Benedictines named Salis as credibly accused of child sexual abuse.
Schneider	Joseph	Diocese of St. Petersburg FL	Accused	Named publicly as accused in the FL Attorney General’s report released 11/6/2020. Deceased. (No other information, including which diocese Schneider was affiliated with; placing him in St. Petersburg for now.)
Schaeufele	Robert L.	Diocese of St. Petersburg FL	Convicted	Schaeufele was placed on leave in 2002 after allegations surfaced, and was later found guilty of abuse in 2003. He received two 30-year concurrent sentences, and is scheduled for release from prison in 2/2015.
Spillane	Jeremiah M.	Diocese of St. Petersburg FL	Convicted	Spillane was charged with internet solicitation of a 13-year-old boy in 1997 and sentenced to two years house arrest and two years’ probation. He admitted abuse in prior assignments in Mexico and was dispensed from religious vows in 1998.
Tuoc	Ignatius	Diocese of St. Petersburg FL	Accused	Arrived in the St. Petersburg diocese in 1976 from Vietnam. Was temporarily removed from assignment in 2003, but returned to ministry because allegations could not be proved.
Anglim	Thomas M.	Diocese of Venice FL	Sued	Anglim was accused of abuse of at least one youth from 1967 to 1968. He supervised two other known abusers.
Baier	Donald	Diocese of Venice FL	Accused	Baier’s ministerial rights were permanently revoked after an anonymous letter of abuse was received.
Bartholomew	Carl	Diocese of Venice FL	Accused	A woman accused Bartholomew of molesting her 16-year-old son in 1994, but a committee of lay persons investigated and cleared Bartholomew. He acknowledged genital contact with the boy, but said it was part of a medical procedure.
Brennan	George	Diocese of Venice FL	Sued	Brennan was accused of abusing an 11-year-old boy in the early 1980s while a seminary student at Incarnation Catholic Church.
Cikovic	Charles Michael	Diocese of Venice FL	Guilty plea	Placed on leave in 1993 after allegations of a sexual “relationship” with a 13-year-old girl. Pleaded guilty in 1993 and was sentenced to 6 months in jail and 20 years probation with mandatory treatment and forced retirement.
Flemming	Neil	Diocese of Venice FL	Settled	Placed on leave in 2002 after allegations of sexual misconduct with a minor, and permanently removed in 2004 after a civil suit was filed. Three new suits were filed in 2011 by three men.
Joseph	Jean Ronald	Diocese of Venice FL	Settled	Joseph, a priest from Haiti, was accused of sexually abusing a 16-year-old boy in 1993 at St. Frances Xavier parish in Ft. Meyers. He denied all allegations, but a canon law trial found his denials not credible.
McLoughlin	Edward	Diocese of Venice FL	Settled	The Diocese knew in 1983 that McLoughlin had boys sleeping overnight at his rectory. He was accused of abuse of a boy in 1997 and laicized in 2000.
Romero	William	Diocese of Venice FL	Settled	Romero was accused of abuse dating back many years, including rape of a Miami boy, age 10, in 1975, and abuse of three siblings, a girl and two boys, 1982-1989, in Moore Haven. He left the priesthood in 2003.

About Clergy Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse in the church typically involves a person of power abusing or exploiting a child or vulnerable adult. The accused clergy is usually a person with influence or power over the abused, either a priest, clergy member, or other religious leader.

Civil and criminal resolution may be available to victims of clergy sexual abuse in Florida. Whether the abuse occurred recently or many years ago, legal remedies may be available to cover the support and counseling services often needed for recovery. Numerous priests and dioceses have already pleaded guilty to sexual abuse, misconduct, or having an inappropriate sexual relationship with minors; now, it’s time for them to be held accountable.

Legal Support for Survivors in Florida

Injury Lawyer Team offers survivors the legal support they need to serve justice. Our team of clergy sexual abuse lawyers has experience in handling sensitive child sexual abuse cases, including those involving accused clergy members. We handle case investigation, review of evidence, preparing testimonies, and settlement negotiations.

Laws and Regulations in Florida

Florida laws aren’t as flexible as other states regarding criminal and civil lawsuit eligibility, making it crucial that victims work with an experienced legal team. There are some laws in place to help protect past and current clergy sexual abuse victims.

Currently, there is no civil statute of limitations for sexual battery cases involving minors in Florida (under 16 years of age). For those who were 16 or 17 years of age at the time of the abuse, civil suit eligibility is limited until the victim’s 25th birthday.

Donna’s Law removed the criminal statute of limitations on felony sexual abuse charges for victims under the age of 18 years old in Florida. However, since the law wasn’t passed until 2020, it only includes criminal charges that occurred after that date. Past victims in Florida may need to explore other options to seek justice against those credibly accused.

Filing a Clergy Sexual Abuse Lawsuit in Florida

Injury Lawyer Team helps Florida clergy sexual abuse victims confidently share their stories, helping to seek justice. Here is what you can expect when filing a sexual abuse lawsuit in Florida:

• Schedule a Confidential Consultation With Injury Lawyer Team – A confidential consultation allows victims of credibly accused clergy abuse to explore their legal options.
• Case Investigation – Our legal team will work on investigating the abuse through witness reports, previous criminal charges filed, or diocese records. It may also be necessary to review former priest records for sexual abuse that occurred many years ago. Photographs, videos, sexually explicit messages, or previous admissions of guilt may all serve as evidence in a case of this type.
• Settlement Review – A civil suit settlement can save everyone time and money in court. However, a settlement offer doesn’t always hold abusers accountable for sexually abusing those in their care.
• Trial Preparation – Taking a case to trial allows victims to prove their case in front of a jury. Our legal team will prepare survivors for trial.

Contact Injury Lawyer Team today to schedule your free, confidential consultation.

Support Resources for Survivors in Florida

Sexual abuse in the church can have lasting psychological consequences on the victim and their families. Support services are available to those affected by clergy sexual abuse, including:

• Survivors Network of those Abuse by Priests (SNAP): The SNAP network helps men and women who have been sexually abused by a Florida parish or church.
• Palm Beach County Victim Services: The Palm Beach County Victim Services offers emergency support services to sexual abuse victims 24/7.
• Abuse Counseling and Treatment, Inc.: Abuse Counseling & Treatment, Inc. is available 24/7 to those dealing with the consequences of sexual abuse.
• 1in6: 1in6 is an initiative helping men who have been sexually abused or assaulted through group chats and a national hotline.

Legal support services also help victims explore their legal options against liable clergy members. Injury Lawyer Team is here to help those who have been sexually abused in the church.

Notable Cases and Outcomes in Florida

The Florida State Attorney General’s Office launched an official investigation into clergy abuse in 2017, finding that almost 100 church officials had been accused of sexual abuse. However, by the time the state learned of the alleged abuse, the statute of limitations for many of the cases had passed, or the priest was no longer living.

Numerous archdioceses of Florida have been at the center of sexual abuse lawsuits, including two of the state’s largest: the Miami Archdiocese and the Orlando Diocese. Criminal and civil investigations also led to payouts in the million-dollar ranges from the Venice Diocese and the St. Petersburg Diocese territory. The Palm Beach Diocese, Our Lady of Divine Providence Church, and the Incarnation Catholic School have also all been subject to lawsuits.

In many cases, the diocese settled the civil suit.

The attorneys at Injury Lawyer Team have reviewed public and private settlement data related to Florida 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 misconduct or cases that go before a jury, damages could exceed $1 million.

Why Choose Injury Lawyer Team?

Injury Lawyer Team is committed to bringing justice to Florida’s sexual abuse victims. When you need a compassionate, dedicated, and expert-level team on your side, Injury Lawyer Team is the team for you. We’ll fight to get your civil suit settled while ensuring those responsible are held criminally accountable when possible.

Whether the suit filed involves the already accused Palm Beach Diocese or you’re from Miami alleging sexual abuse among clergy members, we have the experience you need during this time. A proven track record, our legal team fights to get results.

Contact a Clergy Sexual Abuse Lawyer

Contact Injury Lawyer Team today at 866-757-6452. For added confidentiality, those interested in scheduling a free consultation can do so by filling out our online form.