BAKERSFIELD (CA)
The Bakersfield Californian
March 4, 2019
The Rev. Miguel Flores of east Bakersfield’s St. Joseph Catholic Church has been placed on administrative leave while senior officials take another look at 17-year-old sexual misconduct allegations involving him and a then-16-year-old girl, the Fresno Diocese told The Californian Monday.
During Mass Sunday afternoon, Bishop Armando Ochoa, from the affiliated Fresno archdiocese, informed parishioners that Flores had been placed on leave while officials reopen an investigation into the accusation — for which Flores was tried and acquitted.
“There has been ongoing communication with law enforcement since the third party report was received,” Diocese spokeswoman Teresa Dominguez told The Californian in an email.
“The current allegation relates to a previous allegation of sexual abuse of a minor that was litigated in 2002, at which time Fr. Flores was acquitted. The current disclosure is considered credible which gave cause to reopen a diocesan investigation into the matter.”
Flores was cleared of three counts of forcible rape, three counts of sex with a minor and single charges of making threats and intimidating a witness in 2002, after it was alleged that he raped a San Joaquin girl who worked as his office assistant at churches in Tranquillity and Hanford. He was found not guilty of all charges.
Flores’ suspension is presumably part of a review of possible sexual transgressions involving clergy that the Fresno Diocese announced last month it would undertake. Ochoa made that announcement at diocese headquarters in Fresno on Feb. 2.
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