Rev. Jaime Marin-cardona Charged with Several Child Sex Abuse Offenses

Legal Herald
January 16, 2020

https://legalherald.com/danbury-connecticut-former-our-lady-of-guadalupe-priest-jaime-marin-cardona-accused-of-child-sex-abuse/

A former priest at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Danbury faces several criminal charges after being accused of sexually abusing a child who attended the church. 51-year-old Rev. Jaime Marin-Cardona is charged with three counts of illegal sexual contact, three counts of fourth-degree sexual assault, and three counts of risk of injury to child.

Marin-Cardona has a plea hearing scheduled later in January.

The Diocese of Bridgeport removed Marin-Cardona from the ministry in September after the diocese received a letter from parents who were worried about his “contact with a family member who is a minor,” Bishop Frank J. Caggiano said in a statement.

These charges stem from allegations of abuse in 2014 and 2016, when Marin-Cardona was at Our Lady of Guadalupe. He most recently served at Saint Mary Parish in Bridgeport. He has also served at Saint Joseph Parish in Norwalk and Saint Charles Borromeo Parish in Bridgeport.

Attorney contributor Brian Kent of AbuseGuardian.com helps sex abuse survivors find justice in civil lawsuits against sexual predators and negligent organizations, such as churches that have failed to protect their followers from sexual predators. Here are a few thoughts from Brian on the legal rights of those who have been sexually abused by Catholic priests:

The Catholic Church has a widespread crisis with priests sexually abuses church members, with cases going back several decades. Sexual predators often seek out leadership positions in this church and other religious organizations and then exploit the trust of their communities in order to commit heinous crimes against their followers.

Church officials must be aware of the fact that sexual predators pose a threat to their followers. Preventative measures must be put in place to protect followers from these predators. In many Catholic Church sex abuse cases, the abuse could have been prevented if not for negligence by the church – such as ignoring previous allegations of sexual misconduct against a priest. When negligence is involved, victims may have grounds for a lawsuit against the church.

If you or a loved one is a survivor of sexual abuse by a priest or other religious clergy member, you can learn more about your legal rights by contacting our experienced sex abuse survivors lawyers for a free consultation.