Capuchin Brother Accused Again in Clergy Abuse Lawsuit

By Haidee V Eugenio
Pacific Daily News
October 6, 2017

http://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2017/10/06/capuchin-brother-accused-again-clergy-abuse-lawsuit/738604001/

A lawsuit filed Friday in federal court states that clergy sex abuse on Guam happened as recently as 2006 or 2007, when former Capuchin brother Vernon Kamiaz allegedly molested an Agana Heights Parish altar boy.

Most of the clergy abuse suits filed so far - nearly 130 - allege children were abused decades ago, from the mid-1950s to the early 1990s.

The plaintiff, identified in court documents only as J.C.M.P. to protect his privacy, said in his lawsuit that Kamiaz was actively involved with training altar boys at the Agana Heights Parish and was also his neighbor and family friend.

J.C.M.P. was 12 or 13 when the alleged sex abuse happened, his lawsuit states. He is now 23.

J.C.M.P. is represented by attorney David Lujan and demands $5 million in minimum damages.

Attorney Gloria L. Rudolph, of the law firm of Lujan and Wolff, confirmed that J.C.M.P. is the youngest to file a clergy abuse suit.

The lawsuit states one day after Mass, Kamiaz asked J.C.M.P. and his brother to help Kamiaz clean up around his house. They agreed to help because they looked up to Kamiaz as a trusted mentor, friend, and a Capuchin brother, the complaint states.

When J.C.M.P.'s brother and Kamiaz's nephew went next door to Kamiaz's sister's house, Kamiaz allegedly started rubbing and caressing the boy, which made him feel very uncomfortable, the lawsuit states.

The Capuchin brother brought the boy into his bedroom and told him to lay down on his bed, the lawsuit states.

"J.C.M.P. was so scared and nervous that he just complied with Kamiaz," the lawsuit says. While J.C.M.P. was laying down on the bed, the lawsuit states, Kamiaz abused and molested him.

The boy kept his distance from Kamiaz after the incident, but continued to serve as an altar boy. J.C.M.P. stayed away from Kamiaz and made sure they were never left alone, the lawsuit states.

It's the fourth lawsuit accusing Kamiaz of abuse.

Kamiaz is a former science teacher at Simon Sanchez High School. He is now assigned to the Guam Department of Education's central office at Tiyan, which is not a school site.

J.C.M.P. is the 127th person to file a sex abuse lawsuit against the Archdiocese of Agana, priests and others associated with the Catholic church. The named defendants in J.C.M.P.'s suit are the archdiocese, the Capuchin Franciscans, Capuchin Franciscans Province of St. Mary, Capuchin Franciscans Custody of Star of the Sea, Kamiaz, and up to 50 others.