Illinois Priests Accused of Abuse

Abuse in the Roman Catholic Church is an emotional issue that significantly impacts the trustworthiness of the church. In Illinois, including Chicago, IL, credible accusations date back to the 1950s, including child sexual abuse and sexual misconduct with adult abuse victims. The list of accused priests in Illinois includes hundreds of Catholic clergy members who allegedly abused almost 2,000 victims, many of whom were members of the Catholic church.

Injury Lawyer Team is committed to supporting and seeking justice for clergy abuse survivors. Our proven track record of holding credibly accused clergy accountable has helped many clients recover from trauma incurred in the Chicago Archdiocese, Chicago parishes, and other Illinois dioceses.

Read on to learn what legal steps child sexual abuse survivors can take against an Illinois diocese, the support available, and how our lawyers help you navigate Illinois laws, including when the allegations concern the Catholic church.

List of Accused Priests in Illinois by Catholic Diocese

Archdiocese of Chicago, IL

The list of priests accused of sexual abuse in the Chicago Archdiocese includes:

• Robert Gerald Aguirre
• Elias Aiyako
• Louis Altendorf
• Lawrence A. Angel
• Hugh James Austin
• Felix Bak
• David Ball
• Oscar Bandini-Beguerisse
• Alexander Sylvester Baranowski
• Charles Patrick Barnes
• Harry J. Barton
• Richard Barry Bartz
• Patricio William Batuyong
• Robert Charles Becker
• Robert E. Beckstrom
• Joseph R. Bennett
• Leonard Adolph Bogdan
• Dennis Bonebreak
• Robert Peter Bowman
• David Francis Braun
• Kenneth M. Brigham
• Daniel Peter Buck
• Edmund F. Burke
• Robert Noel Brouillette
• Eugene Patrick Burns
• Donald J. Butler
• Eamonn Byrne
• John Walter Calicott
• Jose Martin Careaga Hurtado
• Michael T. Carr
• Francis C. Carroll
• Christopher Ciomek
• William J. Cloutier
• John W. Clemens
• George H. Clements
• Alan S. Cobb
• Donald Cecil Collins
• Daniel J. Collins
• Eugene Laurence Condon
• Charles A. Conefrey
• Robert Craig
• Thomas Carroll Crosby
• Edmund Corrigan
• Norman J. Czajka
• Richard Daschbach
• John William Curran
• James Diete
• Dominic Aloysius Diederich
• Walter George DeRoeck
• Francis Emil Dilla
• Richard James Douaire
• Jeremiah C. Duggan
• Anthony Dukich
• James Claver Dunn
• Laurence Eagle
• Mark A. Finan
• Richard Wayne Fassbinder
• William Patrick Farrell
• John J. Fitzgerald
• John D. Fitzgerald
• Joseph L. Fitzharris
• Terence Fitzmaurice
• James E. Flynn
• Philip M. Scherer
• Crescente DeRivera
• James Vincent Flosi
• Rigoberto Gamez-Alfonso
• Robert D. Friese
• Stephen Justin Gardner
• Jesus P. Garza
• Gary Graf
• Carlos G. Griego
• Paul Guzman
• James Craig Hagan
• John Edward Hefferan
• Juan Francisco Hinojosa
• Ed Hennessey
• James Allen Hoder
• Gilbert Leroy Hensley
• Michael P. Hogan
• Michael J. Hogan
• Thomas Barry Horne
• Daniel Mark Holihan
• James Alvarez Houlihan
• Leonard Huske
• Walter Edward Huppenbauer
• Charles B. Irwin
• Thomas Job
• Augustine K. Jones
• John E. Jordan
• John Kealey
• Thomas Francis Kelly
• Robert Louis Kealy
• John James Keehan
• Benen Kent
• Joseph C. Kernan
• William E. Killeen
• John J. Keough
• Allan F. Kirk
• Joseph Patrick Kissane
• George W. Klein
• Leonard Paul Kmak
• J. Robert Koch
• John H. Lane
• Ronald Lange
• Ronald Justin Lasik
• Patrick J. Lee
• Roland J. LeCompte
• James Lewnard
• William R. Leyhane
• Raphael Lino
• William L. Lupo
• Edward J. Maloney
• Norbert J. Maday
• Robert E. Mayer
• David F. McCarthy
• Daniel McCarthy
• Vincent McCaffrey
• Christopher J. McCartney
• Daniel J. McCormack
• Robert Joseph McDonald
• William M. McFarlane
• Donald J. McGuire
• William J. Meagher
• James P. McIlhone
• Peter John McNamara
• Henry Miller
• Gary M. Miller
• Edward James Morgan
• Phillip T. Mooney
• Charles A. Mrowinski
• Donald John Mulsoff
• John Daniel Murphy
• Octavio Munoz Capetillo
• Thomas Ignatius Murphy
• John E Murphy
• Felipe Navarrette Diaz
• Walter D. Neary
• Jacques (Nijssen) Nyssen
• William John O’Brien
• Michael W. O’Connell
• Thomas O’Gorman
• Jack O’Dell
• Donald J. O’Shaughnessy
• Paul L. O’Toole
• Patrick G. O’Leary
• John Baptist Ormechea
• Dana Harold Ostdiek
• Joseph Owens
• Emmanuel Pallikunnen
• P.B. Patitucci
• Eusebio Pantoja Segura
• Thomas Paramo
• Frank Paduch
• Carlos Enrique Peralta
• Francis Joseph Phelan
• Michael L. Pfleger
• Kevin Phan
• Chester Przybylo
• Sleeva Raju Policetti
• Konstanty Przybylski
• James M. Ray
• Paul Reycraft
• M. Lawrence Reuter
• Claire J. Risse
• John F. Rohrich
• John Allen Robinson
• Russell Lawrence Romano
• Andrew M. Ronan
• John J. Rudnik
• Kenneth Charles Ruge
• Daniel Peter Ryan
• David F. Ryan
• Joseph E. Savage
• Edward Schuster
• Daniel R. Schulte
• Wilton L. Skiffington
• Richard L. Skriba
• Raymond Francis Skriba
• Timothy Sklopan
• John P. Smyth
• Marion Joseph Snieg
• Ruben Soto
• William J. Spine
• James R. Steel
• Robert A. Stepek
• Victor E. Stewart
• Ralph S. Strand
• Gerald A. Streeter
• Howard J. Sturm
• Walter Strus
• James Patrick Sullivan
• Lawrence J. Sullivan
• Bruno S. Szczawinski
• Albert Tanghal Rimando
• Thomas J. Swade
• Henry Peter Swider
• Mark E. Thedens
• Richard Gregory Theisen
• Joseph Stephen Thomas
• Michael Trujillo
• Walter Joseph Turlo
• David Tushar
• Anthony Joseph Vader
• Donald Francis Ulatowski
• David H. Verhalen
• Henry Joseph Walsh
• Clovis Vilchez Parra
• Phillip Vorlick
• Karl J. Walczak
• Bruce Wellems
• Jeremiah Walsh
• Michael Howard Weston
• Michael Winkels
• Wayne E. Wigglesworth
• Stanley T. Wisniewski
• Joseph Wilk
• Louis Wojtowicz
• Kazimierz Wronka
• Michael T. Yakaitis
• Thomas Cain
• Paul Smith

Diocese of Belleville

The list of priests accused of sexual abuse in the Catholic Diocese of Belleville includes:

• James R. Calhoun
• Robert Chlopecki
• David G. Crook
• Daniel L. Friedman
• Gerald R. Hechenberger
• Edwin G. Kastner
• Albert E. Kreher
• Raymond F. Kownacki
• Eugene G. Linnemann
• Walter E. MacPherson
• Thomas W. Miller
• Arthur W. Niemeyer
• Anthony Onyango
• Louis P. Peterson
• Jerome B. Ratermann
• William F. Rensing
• E. Alan Ruppert
• Roger Schoenhofen
• Gary Sebescak
• Joseph R. Schwaegel
• Francis Theis
• Robert J. Vonnahmen

Diocese of Joliet

The list of priests accused of sexual abuse in the Catholic Diocese of Joliet includes:

• John F. Barrett
• Richard L. Bennett
• James Boyce
• William Bedard
• Andrew L. Buczyna
• John J. Burke
• James R. Burnett
• Robert Cell
• Thomas A. Corbino
• Daniel (William Kevin) O’Brien
• Arno Dennerlein
• Phillip J. Dedera
• William Dugal, III
• Paul F. Dinan
• Richard Dochstader
• Leonard (Jeffrey) Fairfield
• Lowell E. Fischer
• Alejandro Flores
• Salvatore Formusa
• James M. Frederick
• Michael L. Gibbney
• Lawrence M. Gibbs
• Leonard J. Gilman
• William (Patrick) Gleeson
• Carroll Howlin
• Mark Jendrysik
• Richard E. Jacklin
• Harold Jochem
• Robert (Barry) Kremer
• Frederick A. Lenczycki
• John D. Malzone
• Kevin McBrien
• Richard J. McGrath
• J. Anthony Meis
• Lawrence W. Mullins
• James A. Nowak
• Donald G. O’Connor
• Edward F. Poff
• Donald P. Pock
• Franklin (Felix) Prior
• Anthony J. Ross
• Richard M. Ruffalo
• Francis Lee Ryan
• Jeffrey Salwach
• Gerald J. Simonelli
• Henry Slade
• John C. Slown
• David Stalzer
• Edward A. Stefanich
• James O. Storm
• Charles Van Duren
• William D. Virtue
• Oliver T. Walsh
• Patrick Myles White
• Francis (Lambert) Yore
• Mark Menezes
• John Slown

Diocese of Peoria

The list of priests accused of sexual abuse in the Catholic Diocese of Peoria includes:

• John C. Anderson
• Robert O. Barnett
• Charles Beebe
• Patrick B. Brennan
• Walter A. Breuning
• Edward E. Bush
• Terry Cassidy
• J. George Cody
• Louis Condon
• Robert J. Creager
• Francis Engels
• Norman D. Goodman
• William Harbert
• George H. Hiland
• Robert Thomas Hughes
• William D. Isermann
• J. Eugene Kane
• M. Duane Leclercq
• John Edward Lohan
• Thomas W. Maloney
• Thomas R. Miller
• John M. Onderko
• Victorian Ostmeyer
• Toussaint J. Perron
• Gregory J. Plunkett
• Jerome Pilon
• Samuel D. Pusateri
• John J. Ryan
• Laurence C. Schumacher
• Mary Jane
• Richard Slavish
• Bernard Tomaszewski
• John B. Turnbull
• Michael R. Van Acker

Diocese of Rockford

The list of priests accused of sexual abuse in the Catholic Diocese of Rockford includes:

• Edwin Banach
• Joseph J. Charron
• Mark A. Campobello
• Harlan B. Clapsaddle
• Thomas Considine
• Theodore Feely
• Michael Frazier
• James Gaynor
• Al F. Harte
• John C. Holdren
• Walter E. Johnson
• William I. Joffe
• Peter D. Kohler
• Richard Kuhl
• Christopher LeMay
• Patrick O’Hara
• Leo Petit
• Alfredo Pedraza-Arias
• Jerome Skaja
• Joseph J. M. Tully

Diocese of Springfield

The list of priests accused of sexual abuse in the Catholic Diocese of Springfield includes:

• Alvin L. Campbell
• Joseph D. Cernich
• Eugene E. Costa
• Robert DeGrand
• Garrett Neal Dee
• Michael Owen Driscoll
• Robert Dodd
• Kevin J. Downey
• Robert Eagear
• George Faller
• Ray Franzen
• Joseph Havey
• George Kromenaker
• Peter Mascari
• Richard Niebrugge
• Joseph Cullen O’Brien
• James Patrick O’Hara
• Frank J. O’Hara
• Daniel L. Ryan
• Louis Schlangen
• Aloysius Schwellenbach
• Louis C. Shea
• Francis Tebangura
• Walter M. Weerts
• Frank D. Westhoff
• Stanislaus Yunker

Understanding Catholic Clergy Abuse in Illinois Dioceses

Illinois Clergy sexual abuse or sexual assault occurs when a person with a position of authority in the church engages in unethical, inappropriate, and exploitative sexual behavior towards an individual under their spiritual care. This abuse severely erodes the trust a victim has in the Catholic church and may lead to depression, anxiety, and emotional and physical trauma.

While we often hear of cases of child sex abuse or priest sex abuse, it’s important to remember that sexual assault can happen to anyone and come from any accused clergy member. Child sex abuse is far from the only type of sexual assault case we see. We handle various sexual assault cases and can help you with yours.

Victims of child sexual abuse or priest sex abuse at the hands of Catholic clergy in the Chicago, IL area must report the abuse and seek legal action. A preliminary report can be helpful against the accused clergy, but Chicago, IL law lets many survivors pursue legal action against an Illinois diocese years after the child sex abuse occurred.

Begin with a free, confidential consultation with a lawyer who has experience dealing with alleged abuse within religious orders. An Illinois attorney will take steps to bring a claim against the accused clergy, including collecting evidence, helping you through the investigation, representing the victim at trial, and negotiating a settlement.

Legal Support for Child Sex Abuse Survivors in Illinois

With Injury Lawyer Team, Illinois survivors of priest sexual abuse can expect an expert, results-driven attorney to guide them through the Illinois legal process for highly sensitive child sexual abuse cases. Survivors can file a civil lawsuit that may result in substantial monetary compensation for damages. Our firm provides free consultation, evidence collection, negotiation and settlement, and trial representation.

We understand how scary it can be to bring child sex abuse charges against an accused clergy member or the Catholic church. Our team of lawyers has experience working with victims to get justice against an Illinois diocese. We can help you:

• Gather documents from the initial investigation to use as evidence in your Illinois case
• Determine if you have reasonable cause, and learn about reasonable cause
• Find resources to help deal with the lasting trauma of child sex abuse
• Work with the civil authorities regarding clergy abuse or child sex abuse

Many survivors also help raise awareness by filing a clergy sexual abuse lawsuit in Illinois. One news conference from the Illinois attorney general about the priests accused of child sex abuse allegations can help alert parents about abusive priests to protect their children.

What Laws Govern Sexual Abuse Lawsuits Against the Catholic Church in Illinois?

Survivors of child sex abuse, including priest sexual abuse, in Illinois have several laws and regulations that help provide protection. These laws ensure that anyone in the Catholic clergy is held accountable and that child sex abuse victims receive the justice they deserve.

Illinois Childhood Sexual Abuse Act

The Illinois Childhood Sexual Abuse Act (735 ILCS 5/13-202.2) is used as guidance to ensure parties, such as the Catholic church and accused clergy, are held accountable. Recent provisions eliminated the statute of limitations, ensuring victims can file a sexual abuse lawsuit in Illinois years later. Other provisions and guidelines include:

• The courts will automatically assume there was harm in any case where child sexual abuse is proven.
• The victim doesn’t have to realize the connection between the child sexual abuse and injuries at the time the abuse happened.
• Victims cannot be blamed for their own abuse in civil suits.
• Professionals are mandatory reporters and must report suspected abuse or neglect, including priest sexual abuse, to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.

These provisions provide an avenue for victims of child sexual abuse to pursue justice. The same sexual abuse laws that apply to other cases are often used in cases of child sexual abuse involving priests, other accused clergy members, or the Catholic church.

Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act

This state law (325 ILCS 5/) requires certain professionals, known as mandated reporters, to report suspected abuse or neglect, including child sex abuse. Mandated reporters include, but are not limited to:

• Teachers
• Doctors
• Childcare workers
• Social workers

Recent provisions have expanded the list of mandated reporters to include those who work in athletics. Failure to report abuse is considered a crime. Mandated reporters can be held liable for abuse if they suspect abuse but do nothing.

Often, mandated reporters will report suspected neglect or abuse, including child sex abuse or sexual assault, to the Illinois Department of Family and Children Services. A caseworker will file a preliminary report, including the accused clergy who allegedly committed the abuse, and can help you find support.

This preliminary report and other documents can later be used as evidence to support your child sex abuse claim against the accused clergy member. However, we can still pursue a claim without a preliminary report. Many victims don’t come forward until years after child sex abuse happens, and we can still work with you.

Dallas Charter

Although the Dallas Charter is not a law about child sexual abuse, it does provide guidelines every Illinois diocese must follow regarding accusations of abuse, including child sexual abuse. The diocese must cooperate and provide support in five stages.

1. The Illinois diocese must send any allegation to public authorities and cooperate fully with law enforcement.
2. The Illinois diocese must offer support services. Sometimes, the diocese will provide services themselves, pay for services, or refer them to another place where they can receive support.
3. The Illinois diocese must implement emergency measures to protect other children while the child sexual abuse allegations are investigated, such as temporarily removing someone from the church during the investigation.
4. Employees work with a diocesan review board. The case is presented to the diocesan review board, and they decide if it warrants further investigation. It’s essential to note that the diocesan review board typically does not comprise individuals who are close to or work for the bishop. Instead, the diocesan review board consists of a pastor, lay people, and usually an expert on sexual abuse. If the diocesan review board thinks the abuse allegations are credible, an investigation will be conducted by either the review board or outside investigators, such as law enforcement. It’s common for abuse allegations against archdiocesan officials to be investigated by both. 
5. Once the investigation is complete, the board will advise the bishop on whether the claims have been substantiated and, if so, the possible consequences. Then, the bishop will either reject or accept the recommendations of the board.

The guidelines of the Dallas Charter are implemented nationwide to help protect children. However, the Catholic church repeatedly makes headlines for failing to protect children or in situations where the bishop rejects the board’s recommendations, letting members of the Catholic clergy continue to work in an environment with children. The church has also gained a reputation for not cooperating with law enforcement during investigations.

Regardless of what the board says and what the bishop decides, you deserve justice. You can still file a lawsuit against an Illinois diocese to get justice.

Filing a Clergy Sexual Abuse Lawsuit in Illinois

Your decision to file a civil suit against clergy members can be stressful and bring up traumatic memories. Fortunately, working with a compassionate and experienced Catholic clergy abuse lawyer will help you navigate the process. When you are ready to seek justice against the clergy member or diocese, there are several steps involved.

1. Contact an experienced Illinois clergy abuse attorney at Injury Lawyer Team for a free consultation.
2. Gather evidence to support your case. This may include your medical records, photos, recordings of conversations, emails, text messages, and more. It can also include documents from a police investigation, such as a police report. 
3. Work through negotiation and settlement with your experienced lawyer who understands the sensitive nature of cases of sex abuse.
4. If the liable party is unwilling to negotiate and settle the case reasonably, your lawyer will prepare your case for court and support you through the process.

Support Resources for Survivors in Illinois

If you’re a survivor of sexual assault from a clergy member or other church employees, finding both legal and emotional support is important to help your healing process. Illinois has extensive services available, including:

• Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault, which operates rape crisis centers around Illinois, each with a 24-hour hotline;
• Children’s Advocacy Centers of Illinois, where children and their families are referred after an allegation of abuse;
• Survivors Network for Those Abused by Priests (SNAP), a national resource for victims of abusive priests and other clergy members. They have locations in Chicago and Joliet, and the site provides resources for victims of child sexual abuse, child pornography, child abuse, family services, and more.

Accused Clergy: Notable Cases and Outcomes in Illinois

There are over 1,500 Illinois priests accused of abuse, including over 160 in the Archdiocese of Chicago, 19 from the Diocese of Belleville, and 43 from the Joliet Diocese. Cases with substantiated allegations include:

• Daniel McCormack was accused of abusing a minor male while in seminary and an altar boy in 1999. The Archdiocese ignored a warning about him in 2003, and he was arrested in 2005 on credible allegations of child sexual abuse. The Archdiocese advised him to remain silent about the allegations, and he was released. Despite his history of abuse and arrest, he remained in ministry and became a dean in 2005. Finally, he was arrested again in 2006, removed from the ministry, pled guilty, and was sentenced to 5 years in prison.
• Priest John Walter Calicott was suspended after he was credibly accused of sexually abusing two boys. He was sent to treatment, considered a non-threat, and allowed to return to active ministry. In 2004, while teaching sex education in a parish school, he was accused of sexually abusing four young boys when he was with the Chicago Archdiocese.
• Robert Friese, while a teacher at Maryville Academy in Des Plaines, was accused of abuse of a 13-year-old boy. He was indicted while on leave from the Chicago Archdiocese and working as a researcher at the University of Illinois, Chicago’s child care program. He was convicted in 1985, resigned from the priesthood, and was placed on probation for 4 years.
• In 2002, the Archdiocese received allegations that Joseph R. Bennett sexually abused three boys in the 1970s. Polygraphs confirmed this, but a review board found no cause to suspect him. However, in 2003, he was accused of child sexual abuse, including the rape of two girls, but he continued as a priest until the McCormack case broke. He was removed from the ministry in 2006.

Our attorneys have reviewed public and private settlement data related to Illinois 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 conduct or if that case were to go before a jury, damages could exceed $1 million.

Why Choose Injury Lawyer Team?

The traumatic, sensitive nature of abuse cases requires a law firm committed to supporting you every step of the way.

• $14,200,000 – Priest grooming and handling
• $4,100,000 – Deacon assault and rape
• $3,000,000 – Clergy child abuse filed in adulthood
• $2,475,000 – Volunteer-perpetrated Catholic church abuse
• $2,250,000 – Religious school priest teen sex abuse
• $1,500,000 – Case filed against a deceased priest

Our clergy abuse lawyers understand how frightening it is to address past abuse, and many survivors have found success in getting justice while they heal. We’ve secured settlements for victims of credibly accused clergy abuse, and we have the expertise to take on your case in Illinois.

We represent victims of sex abuse in the following Dioceses:

• Diocese of Belleville
• Archdiocese of Chicago
• Diocese of Joliet
• Diocese of Rockford
• Diocese of Peoria
• Diocese of Springfield

Contact Us

It can be difficult to take the first steps in seeking justice for yourself or a loved one who was sexually abused by priests in an Illinois diocese. Fortunately, our skilled sexual abuse lawyers are ready to stand by your side and navigate your case from consultation to trial and settlement.

Contact Injury Lawyer Team today and schedule a free consultation. Call us at 866-757-6452 or reach out to us online.

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.