Affidavit Supporting the Issuance of Warrants to Search

By Detective David Clark
Judicial District Court, Dallas County
May 15, 2019

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news5/2019_05_15_Clark_Affidavit_Supporting_Search_Warrants.pdf

5. I am currently employed by the Dallas Police Department (DPD) as a police officer. I have been so employed for approximately 20 years and have been a detective assigned to the Child Exploitation Unit, Crimes Against Persons Division, of said department for approximately the last nine years. I am responsible for the investigation of molestation and sexual assault cases involving children and strangers. During my employment as a police officer, I have used a variety of methods during various types of investigations, including, but not limited to, visual surveillance, general questioning of witnesses, defendants, and the use of search warrants, and electronic interceptions. Based on my training and experience relating to the investigation of child exploitation and human trafficking cases, and based upon interviews I conducted with defendants and witnesses, I am familiar with the ways that child sexual abusers groom their victims. My familiarity includes the various means and methods by which sexual predators single out their victims, attempt to befriend their parents and other family members, as well as use their position of power to convince their victims not to tell anyone of the sexual molestation that occurred between the defendant and victim. I have interviewed hundreds of victims of child sex abuse and understand these victims sometimes take several months, years, or sometimes never tell anyone about being a victim of sexual abuse as a child. I have presented an investigative topic on how to effectively investigate child abuse cases at several Child Abuse Conferences across the country.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVESTIGATION

6. On February 28, 2018, the Chancellor of the Diocese, Mary Edlund, contacted the Dallas Police Department's Child Exploitation Unit regarding allegations against a then-serving priest, Paredes. Chancellor Edlund advised the allegations regarded Paredes sexually abusing, over a period of years, several juvenile members of St. Cecilia Church. I was assigned this case and I made contact with Bill Sims, an attorney representing the Diocese. Mr. Sims stated the Diocese and the victims were in a monetary settlement process and he believed the victims did not want to pursue criminal allegations.