BishopAccountability.org
	Criminal Child Sex Abuse Charges Dropped against Former Diocese of Yakima Employee By Jane Gargas Yakima Herald-Republic May 6, 2009 http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/05/06/criminal-child-sex-abuse-charges-dropped-against-former-diocese-of-yakima-employee YAKIMA, Wash. -- All criminal charges against Tieton resident Juan Jose Gonzalez Rios were dropped today in an Oregon court. The Marion County Circuit Court dismissed charges of encouraging child sex abuse against Gonzalez, a former employee of the Catholic Diocese of Yakima. A Marion County Circuit Court clerk confirmed that District Attorney Jody Baretta filed the motion to dismiss the case against Gonzalez. Zillah attorney J.J. Sandlin said today that Gonzalez, his client, has all along maintained his innocence. Gonzalez, 38, was arrested in Tieton in March 2008 on a fugitive warrant charging him with viewing child pornography, a felony, while he was studying to be a Catholic priest in Oregon five years ago. Gonzalez spent about four years at Mount Angel Seminary in Mount Angel, Ore., but was dismissed in February 2003 after the seminary reported the pornography allegations to Mount Angel police. After Gonzalez left the seminary and returned to the Yakima diocese, Bishop Carlos Sevilla hired him for a part-time job at St. Peter Retreat Center in Cowiche. Gonzalez subsequently became director there, remaining in that capacity until he was pulled over by police in Tieton for speeding in March 2008. When police discovered the Oregon warrant, they arrested Gonzalez. He was released from custody in May 2008 and has remained at home in Tieton awaiting his appearance in the Oregon court. He has not worked for the diocese since his arrest. Sevilla apologized for his handling of the situation at a March 2008 news conference, acknowledging that he had hired Gonzalez, even though he knew the former seminarian was under criminal investigation. Today Gonzalez said, “It’s wonderful news. I’m happy that all these issues are in the past.”
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.