FIRST SEXUAL ABUSE LAWSUITS IN GUAM NAMING FR. ANDREW MANNETTA

James, Vernon & Weeks
April 5, 2017

http://jvwlaw.net/

MANNETTA STILL AT LARGE AND A RISK TO CHILDREN

As documented at bishop-accountability.org,
http://bishop-accountability.org/priestdb/PriestDBbylastName-M.html, Mannetta continued to abuse children after leaving Guam for Hawaii. He was later transferred to New York.

Mannetta has escaped criminal prosecution for his crimes against children. He is believed to currently reside in Connecticut.

Hagatna, Guam This morning, Attorneys representing two Plaintiffs, M.B and G.G., filed suit against the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Agana seeking justice for sexual abuse occurring in approximately 1986-87. Both Plaintiffs served as altar boys at the Santa Teresita Church, Mangilao, Guam, where Andrew Mannetta ("Father Andy") was assigned as the Priest. Both say Fr. Mannetta molested them.

According to the Complaints, when Plaintiff M.B. was 13 years old, Father Andy would host "sleep overs" at the rectory for the Santa Teresita altar boys, including M.B.. At these "sleep overs", Father Andy would commonly ply M.B. and other altar boys with alcohol and have them watch sexual movies. In this setting, Father Andy isolated and sexually abused M.B..

Plaintiff G.G., was approximately 14 years old when Father Andy, under the guise of training G.G. to be a Priest, convinced G.G.'s parents to allow him to move into the rectory. There, in the rectory, Father Andy sexually abused G.G.

Plaintiffs are represented by a team of attorneys, including Anthony C. Perez of Hagatna, Guam, a Hawai'i firm and a Mainland Firm. "I chose a team approach to provide powerful advocacy and resources for clients," Perez explains. In addition to this lawsuit, this attorney team has previously filed other claims for survivors of sexual abuse under a new law in Guam. Perez commends lawmakers, including Governor Eddie Calvo, for passing this law last September. "Our lawmakers have sent a clear message of zero tolerance for those who prey on the most innocent and vulnerable, and for the institutions that protect these predators and conceal the evidence of their monstrous crimes", says Perez.

Attorneys Leander James and Craig Vernon of James, Vernon and Weeks, P.A., have represented many hundreds of survivors of clergy abuse across the United States. "M.B.'s and G.G.'s courage to come forward is an example to all those abused by Fr. Andy and other predators," says James. "Abuse survivors can seek justice and healing. They are not alone. It was not their fault."

"Father Andy was trusted by Plaintiffs and their parents," adds Vernon. "He was a Priest. He was supposed to be a holy man of God. For him to commit horrendous acts that destroyed the innocence of young altar boys is the ultimate betrayal of trust."

Another team attorney, Randall Rosenberg of Honolulu, who has represented many survivors of clergy abuse in Hawaii, notes that Mannetta's assignment history shows a familiar and disturbing pattern: "This notorious pedophile was shifted from Parish to Parish within Guam, before being transferred to Hawaii. He left a trail of abused and broken children everywhere the Church sent hini, until he was finally defrocked as a Priest around 2002."

CONTACT:
Anthony Perez, sex-abuse attorney, acp@perezlawguam.com; (671) 475-5055 Leander James, sex-abuse attorney, ljames@jvwlaw.net; (208) 667-0683 (cell)
Craig Vernon, sex-abuse attorney, cvernon@jvwlaw.net; (208)-691-2768(cell)
Randal Rosenberg, sex-abuse attorney, randall@rmhlawhawaii.com; (808)536-4270