FORMER State Lawmaker Named in Colorado Attorney General's Investigation of Clergy Abuse

9 News
October 24, 2019

https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/local-politics/former-state-lawmaker-named-in-colorado-attorney-generals-investigation-of-clergy-abuse/73-0cb9ea5d-8d5e-4611-81a0-e15b9116e8ac

Among the priests identified in the report on clergy abuse released Wednesday by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser: Father John Beno of Pueblo's St. Francis Xavier parish.

Beno went by another title: Democratic state senator, from 1979 to 1986.

According to abuse allegations detailed in the report, Beno abused two young girls. One was 5 years old at the time of the rape in 1961. She reported the assault in 1996 to the Pueblo Diocese. During an investigation at the time, Beno denied even knowing her, but the diocese found "his denial is outweighed by corroborating evidence," according to the report.