South Dakota Catholic Diocese Priest Sex Abuse List | Injury Lawyer Team

List of Accused Priests in South Dakota

There is a troubling history of clergy sexual abuse within the South Dakota Catholic Diocese. These incidents have left many survivors struggling with lasting trauma and mistrust in religious institutions. Over the years, numerous allegations have come to light, revealing a pattern of abuse and cover-ups within the Catholic Church.

Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers are deeply committed to supporting survivors seeking justice. We strive to hold those responsible accountable and ensure survivors receive the justice and compensation they deserve.

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Last Name	First Name	Diocese	Status	Accusations (Summary)
Adams	Cletus	Diocese of Rapid City SD	Accused	Member of T.O.R community in Hollidaysburg PA, accused of molesting a little girl 1972-80 in Rapid City, SD. Bishop Dimmerling moved him to another parish due to the accusation, and Adams was released from the diocese in 1984.
Bell	Francis	Diocese of Rapid City SD	Accused	Bell was named publicly as accused by the Rapid City diocese in 1993 of abuse 1965/67.
Corry	John J.	Diocese of Rapid City SD	Accused	From Ireland, he was forced to move from his monastery because it housed a child day-care center. He was laicized in 2004 and died 7/11/18.
Fagan	Bernard D.	Diocese of Rapid City SD	Sued	Accused of sexually abusing 12 Native American girls while working at St. Francis Mission on the Rosebud Reservation.
Gorman	Thomas	Diocese of Rapid City SD	Accused	Named publicly as accused by the diocese on its list in 3/19. It notes a single allegation of abuse in 1957/58, reported 8/24/11. Gorman died 3/24/87.
Garbacz	Marcin	Diocese of Rapid City SD	Charged	Marcin was convicted of stealing over $250K from parishes and sentenced to nearly 8 years in prison. He was also facing charges of child sexual abuse and child porn possession.
Gill	Joseph C.	Diocese of Rapid City SD	Accused	Accused in 2003 of beating boys and talking about Jesus Christ while his hand was down the kid’s pants fondling him at St. Francis Indian School on the Rosebud Reservation.
Janka	Albert A.	Diocese of Rapid City SD	Accused	The Jesuit Midwest Province named him as accused on 12/17/18. He died 1/15/86.
Lambert	William	Diocese of Rapid City SD	Settled	A man accused Lambert of sexual abuse for almost 20 years, including rape, beginning when the boy was an altar boy, age 12. Lambert was sent to treatment, then put back in ministry, and was later sued by a second man.
McDonough	James M.	Diocese of Rapid City SD	Accused	Jesuit educator named publicly as credibly accused for sexual abuse of a minor in 1971-1972 and 1982. Worked in the Rapid City diocese 1978-1983.
McShane	Thomas S.	Diocese of Rapid City SD	Accused	Named publicly as accused by the Jesuits Midwest Province, worked at the St. Francis Mission on the Rosebud Indian Reservation, and died in 2018.
Mulloy	Michel	Diocese of Rapid City SD	Accused	Mulloy was accused of sexual abuse of a minor in the early 1980s, but the allegation could not be proven. He was to “remain out of public ministry”.
Murray	Donald	Diocese of Rapid City SD	Settled	Murray founded Sky Ranch for [‘delinquent’] Boys, where he taught boys to fly an airplane as part of their ‘therapy’. He provided alcohol and abused boys and other residents, and was sued by Rev. Tom Economus and his brother.
Parshall	Eugene E.	Diocese of Rapid City SD	Accused	Scholastic, entered the Jesuits in 1955, was dismissed from the Order in 1964, and taught for many years at a Catholic school in Omaha NE.
Pieper	George M.	Diocese of Rapid City SD	Accused	Several allegations of abuse were made against him after his death, including at St. Francis Mission on the Rosebud Indian Reservation, where he worked 1950-1957.
Sheehan	James F.	Diocese of Rapid City SD	Accused	Named publicly as accused by the diocese on its list in 3/19. It notes a single allegation of abuse, occurring in 1977, reported to the diocese 11/12/04. Sheehan died 3/7/91.
Praveen	John	Diocese of Rapid City SD	Convicted	From India, John Praveen Kumar Itukulapat, member of the Order of the Apostolic Life Community of Priests in the Opus Spiritus Sancti, was arrested for sexually abusing a 13-year-old girl and was sentenced to six years in prison.
Riss	Dennis R.	Diocese of Rapid City SD	Accused	Bishop Riss was removed from his assignment at St. Mary’s in Lemmon after admitting that he had sexually abused a 17-year-old boy in the early 1980s.
Vallo	Francis	Diocese of Rapid City SD	Accused	Named publicly as accused by the diocese on its list in 3/19. It notes multiple allegations of abuse received in 1992, of abuse in the late 1970s. Retired 1987. Died 3/9/92.
Stack	Gilbert	Diocese of Rapid City SD	Accused	Stack was accused of sexually abusing a 14-year-old boy in South Dakota 1951/1952. The bishop said the allegations were credible, and no criminal charges or litigation were filed.
Stolzman	William F.	Diocese of Rapid City SD	Settled	Ordained for the Jesuits, worked on Native American missions in SD, left the Order, incardinated into the St. Paul-Minneapolis archdiocese, investigated for possible child porn, cleared, placed on leave, reopened, case closed, allowed ministry.
Vavra	Clarence J.	Diocese of Rapid City SD	Accused	Archbishop Vavra admitted sexually abusing young boys and a teen in 1975 and received in-patient and out-patient treatment from 1996-97. He was removed from ministry in 2003 and received an extra stipend every month until 2012.
Walleman	Kenneth T.	Diocese of Rapid City SD	Sued	Walleman was accused of abuse of at least one student at St. Francis Mission, a Jesuit boarding school. He was living in a Jesuit Community at St. Camillus in Wauwatosa, WI, until his death 9/15/14.
Barsch	Vincent	Diocese of Sioux Falls SD	Accused	Named publicly as credibly accused by the Conception Abbey Benedictines on their list 8/5/19. Incidents allegedly occurred in South Dakota 1955-1962. Left the priesthood in 1973, married and settled in PA. Died in 2010.
Baldus	Leonard	Diocese of Sioux Falls SD	Sued	A civil suit was filed against the diocese, Oblates and Sisters of the Divine Savior in 2010 for alleged abuse of students at Tekakwitha Indian Mission.
	Leroy	Diocese of Sioux Falls SD	Sued	Brother Leroy was accused of sexually abusing students at Tekakwitha Indian Mission in a civil suit in 2010.
Tim	Brother	Diocese of Sioux Falls SD	Sued	Bro. Tim was accused of abuse of students at Tekakwitha Indian Mission in a civil suit.
Busman	Henry	Diocese of Sioux Falls SD	Sued	Six men and two women alleged that Busman sexually abused them as children between 1960 and 1982.
Cholewa	Gregory	Diocese of Sioux Falls SD	Sued	A woman alleges that Cholewa, Balden and another unnamed priest abused her when she was 5-11.
Chapman	Francis P.	Diocese of Sioux Falls SD	Sued	Chapman was accused of fondling at least one student at St. Francis Indian School, and was buried at St. Francis. He was included on the Rapid City diocese’s list in 3/2019 and on the Jesuits Midwest Province list 12/17/2018.
Fitzgerald	James Vincent	Diocese of Sioux Falls SD	Settled	A man and woman alleged sexual abuse as children in the late 1960s. They filed suits in 2013 and 2014, and names were released in 2014. A judge ordered the Crookston diocese to turn over all records of sexual abuse by priests prior to 1985 to “John Doe 19”. In 2014, a jury awarded $8.1M to a man alleging abuse as a boy in 1978 in the Duluth diocese; he had met Fitzgerald in the New Ulm diocese.
Frey	Paul A.V.	Diocese of Sioux Falls SD	Sued	Jesuit Brother accused of abusing children at church-run Native American boarding schools in South Dakota.
Kowalski	Theodore	Diocese of Sioux Falls SD	Sued	Kowalski was sued in 2003 for molesting a boy at St. Francis Indian School. He denied all charges.
Krantz	Robert	Diocese of Sioux Falls SD	Settled	Krantz was accused of abusing a male student in 1970. The diocese conducted an investigation in 2005 and found no reason why Krantz could not continue to work.
Hess	Edward	Diocese of Sioux Falls SD	Sued	Hess was accused of sexual abuse of students at Tekakwitha Indian Mission in the late 1940s and early 1950s.
Lind	Thomas	Diocese of Sioux Falls SD	Sued	Placed on leave after allegations that he had abused children at a Native American School in the 1970s. Later statement said that the allegations were unsubstantiated.
McNeil	Frank J.	Diocese of Sioux Falls SD	Accused	Named publicly as accused on the diocese’s list in 3/19. Fire chaplain. Faculties permanently removed in 4/93. Laicized 6/25/04.
MacArthur	Bruce Duncan	Diocese of Sioux Falls SD	Convicted	Arrested in 2006, charged with abuse of 3 girls, admitted abusing 30 girls, sent to Via Coeli in NM for treatment. After WI, MacArthur worked in the San Angelo and El Paso TX dioceses, was arrested for abuse of a nursing home patient in 1978, and was sentenced to 6 months in jail and 10 years probation in 2008. The San Antonio archdiocese announced a credible allegation of abuse of a girl in the late 1970s.
McCormick	James V.	Diocese of Sioux Falls SD	Accused	McCormick was named publicly as accused by the Sioux Falls diocese on its list 3/21/2019, and died 3/30/2017.
Murray	John Ignatius	Diocese of Sioux Falls SD	Accused	Named publicly as accused by the Sioux Falls diocese on its list in 3/19. Reportedly ordained for Boston. Faculties permanently removed 8/91. Died in Helena MT 5/12/12.
Nally	Louis D.	Diocese of Sioux Falls SD	Accused	From Ireland, he was ordained, worked in Grand Island, NE and SD parishes, and retired in 1973. He died in 1987 at age 93.
Neuroth	William J.	Diocese of Sioux Falls SD	Settled	Neuroth was accused of abusing a youth in the 1970s, and of stalking him. He admitted similar relationship with two other boys, and a third who died by suicide.
Ryan	Thomas J.	Diocese of Sioux Falls SD	Accused	Named publicly as accused by the Sioux Falls diocese on its list in 3/2019. Faculties permanently removed in 5/2002. Died 1/17/2017.
Pitcavage	William	Diocese of Sioux Falls SD	Sued	Order vice provincial placed on leave after allegations of abuse at Native American School in 1970s. Order said charges “not credible” and returned him to ministry.
Pohlen	John	Diocese of Sioux Falls SD	Sued	Pohlen was one of several accused in a 2010 civil suit against the diocese. He died in 1969.
	Boganina	Diocese of Sioux Falls SD	Sued	Sister Boganina was one of several religious accused in a 2010 civil suit, which alleged abuse of students at Tekakwitha Indian Mission.
	Katherine	Diocese of Sioux Falls SD	Sued	Sister Katherine was one of several religious accused in a 2010 civil suit that alleged abuse of students at Tekakwitha Indian Mission.
	Gabrini	Diocese of Sioux Falls SD	Sued	Sister Gabrini was one of several religious accused in a civil suit that alleged abuse of students at Tekakwitha Indian Mission.
	John	Diocese of Sioux Falls SD	Sued	Sr. John was one of several religious accused in a 2010 civil suit that alleged abuse of students at Tekakwitha Indian Mission.
	Lagenda	Diocese of Sioux Falls SD	Sued	Sr. Lagenda was accused of abuse of students in the 1960s at Tekakwitha Indian Mission.
Marie	Lucy	Diocese of Sioux Falls SD	Sued	Sister Lucy Marie, Mother Superior of the orphanage, was accused of abusing students at Tekakwitha Indian Mission in the 1950s-60s.
Suttmiller	Francis	Diocese of Sioux Falls SD	Sued	Accused in 2010 lawsuit(s) of abuse of students at St. Paul’s Indian Mission (a church-run boarding school for Native American children), on the Yankton Sioux Reservation. Died in 1996.
Thury	Leonard M.	Diocese of Sioux Falls SD	Accused	Named publicly as accused by the diocese on its list in 3/19. Faculties permanently removed 9/87. Laicized 3/93. Died 5/13/03.
	Theresa	Diocese of Sioux Falls SD	Sued	Sr. Theresa was one of several religious accused in a 2010 civil suit that alleged abuse of students at Tekakwitha Indian Mission.

About Clergy Sexual Abuse

Clergy sexual abuse includes inappropriate behavior and sexual misconduct of religious leaders towards vulnerable individuals, including minors. The impact of this abuse is profound and long-lasting. Survivors of such abuse suffer with deep emotional scars and trust issues for many years to follow. Reporting and seeking legal action against perpetrators of such abuse is crucial. This suit alleged abuse not only helps individual healing but also prevents future incidences.

In South Dakota, the legal process begins with filing a complaint, followed by an investigation. Victims may pursue civil lawsuits for compensation and justice.

Legal Support for Survivors in South Dakota

Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers offer comprehensive legal services for survivors of clergy sexual abuse in South Dakota. Our experienced team provides confidential consultations, thorough evidence gathering, and expert representation in negotiations and trials. We also offer support and counseling services to ensure compassionate, effective legal and emotional support for survivors.

Laws and Regulations in South Dakota

Some specific laws and regulations address cases of abuse in South Dakota. These laws are meant to support survivors who stand against their perpetrators.

Key legal aspects involved in such cases are as follows.

• Statutes of Limitations – Laws in South Dakota allow survivors an extended amount of time to file claims, understanding that the disclosure of such cases is often delayed. The statute of limitations for filing civil claims for sexual abuse is three years from the date the victim discovers the abuse or should have reasonably discovered it. For criminal cases, there is no statute of limitations for prosecuting felony sexual offenses involving minors.
• Mandatory Reporting Laws – Clergy members and other professionals are required by law to report any suspected child abuse. Failure to do so can result in criminal charges.
• Recent Legislative Changes – The state has seen amendments to provide survivors with more time and support to come forward and seek justice. Additionally, South Dakota has implemented stronger protections for whistleblowers and enhanced penalties for those found guilty of abuse.
• Civil Aid – Survivors can seek compensation for the emotional distress they suffered as well as the medical expenses they had to bear in civil claims.

Filing a Clergy Sexual Abuse Lawsuit in South Dakota

Filing a lawsuit in these cases involves several critical steps. It is important to be informed about and understand each step since they all play a crucial role in the lawsuit.

• Initial Consultation – Confidential consultation with an experienced attorney specializing in clergy abuse cases.
• Investigation – Thorough investigation by gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses, and obtaining relevant documents.
• Filing the Complaint – Your attorney will draft and file a formal complaint in court, submitting all relevant and required legal documents for the lawsuit.
• Discovery – This stage involves the exchange of information and evidence. Depositions, interrogatories, and document requests are conducted to build the case.
• Settlement Negotiations – Often, parties attempt to settle before going to trial. Your attorney will negotiate on your behalf to achieve the best possible outcome.
• Trial – If a settlement isn’t reached, the case proceeds to trial, where both sides present their arguments and evidence before a judge or jury.
• Post Trial – Assistance to enforce the judgment and address any other legal needs following the court decision.

Rosenbury Injury Lawyers stands ready to guide you through each step. Contact us for a confidential consultation to start your journey toward justice.

Support Resources for Survivors in South Dakota

Seeking both legal and emotional support is essential for healing and justice. Survivors have access to various support resources as follows:

• The National Center for Victims of Crime – Offers resources and referrals for survivors of all types of crime, including sexual assault and domestic violence.
• RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) – Provides a 24/7 national hotline and online chat for crisis support. Accessible to survivors across the country.
• South Dakota Department of Social Services (DSS) – Provides access to mental health services, crisis intervention, and support programs for survivors.
• Counseling Services: South Dakota Counseling Association and Catholic Family Services offer professional counseling services to help clergy abuse survivors cope with trauma.
• Crisis Hotlines:
  • South Dakota Helpline Center: 1-800-273-8255 – Available 24/7 for immediate support and crisis intervention.
  • National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) – Provides confidential support and resources.

Notable Cases and Outcomes in South Dakota

This state has seen several similar cases, from Rapid City to Sioux Falls. Each of these incidences highlights the severity of the issue and the importance of legal action. While specific case details may vary, common themes include significant compensation for survivors and accountability for perpetrators and institutions.

Sioux Falls Diocese Release: The Sioux Falls Diocese’s list named 11 priests who were credibly accused of abuse. This release led to the perpetrators being tried against alleged abuse and stricter policy implementation within the Catholic Church.

John Praveen: The most recent case involved Father John Praveen, assigned to the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation, Rapid City. He was credibly accused and charged with sexual contact with a thirteen-year-old girl. He pled guilty and faced legal consequences.

Priests in Rapid City Diocese’s List: Michael Baldwin’s name was one of the many perpetrators in Rapid City Diocese’s list of perpetrators. Following this alleged abuse during his time in the Rapid City Diocese, Baldwin was removed from the ministry, and the victims reached a settlement. The case highlighted the need for keen vigilance and support for survivors in the Rapid City Diocese.

Many other parts of the Roman Catholic Church in South Dakota have seen similar cases, including the Sioux Falls Diocese, Duluth Diocese, and the Order of Apostolic Life Community. There have been cases of alleged sexual abuse of women as well as sexually abused young boys by perpetrators like John Baptist at institutes like St. Francis Indian School. However, these incidents of reported abuse at the hands of catholic clergy still await justice.

Our attorneys have reviewed public and private settlement data related to South Dakota clergy abuse settlements. Depending on the circumstances pertaining to 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 Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers

Choosing the right law firm can significantly impact the outcome of abuse cases. Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers provide compassionate and personalized representation to navigate the complexities of such cases.

• Experience – Extensive experience, ensuring that we understand the unique challenges and nuances involved.
• Compassion – Commitment to treating survivors with the utmost compassion and respect and creating a supportive environment throughout the legal process.
• Results-Oriented – Dedication to achieving the best possible outcomes for our clients, whether through settlements or trial verdicts.
• Confidentiality – Prioritizing our clients’ privacy and ensuring that all information shared with us remains confidential.

$14 Million Priest grooming and handling	$4 Million Deacon assault and rape	$3 Million Clergy child abuse filed in adulthood
$3 Million Volunteer-perpetrated Catholic church abuse	$2 Million Religious school priest teen sexual abuse	$2 Million Clergy abuse case filed against a deceased priest

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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.