NEW ORLEANS (LA)
WDSU [New Orleans]
April 30, 2024
By Aubrey Killion
LSP obtained new search warrant for documents from Archdiocese of New Orleans
WDSU Investigates has obtained a copy of a search warrant from the Louisiana State Police in connection with the Archdiocese of New Orleans sex abuse scandal.
The warrant was signed last week when WDSU was there when State Police met with the Archdiocese over the warrant.
The search warrant is requesting all documents, letters, emails, transfers, and assignment records linked to the New Orleans Archdiocese sexual abuse investigation.
The warrant specifically asked for any and all complaints of sexual abuse received by the Archdiocese.
WARNING: Details from the search warrant may be considered graphic and upsetting to some. Viewer discretion is advised.
The warrant also seeks to obtain all personnel files for clergy members, which would include reassignments or transfers from those listed on the Credibly Accused list.
The warrant includes documents related to the financial records associated with the investigation.
One of the records requested by LSP includes a document described as, “for Archbishop eyes only.”
According to the warrant, State Police has received multiple allegations of sexual abuse from members of the Archdiocese of New Orleans dating back to February of 2022.
The allegations date back decades, and State Police say they are still conducting interviews today.
The warrant states that LSP received a graphic complaint from a victim who accused Lawrence Hecker of sexual abuse.
Those allegations included statements that the Archdiocese was not only aware of the abuse claims against Hecker, but paid for him to get treatment at a psychiatric facility.
According to the warrant, the facility diagnosed Hecker as a pedophile.
Louisiana State Police allege that the Archdiocese knew about Hecker’s diagnosis as a pedophile, and reassigned him to another church anyways.
The warrant states:
“The allegations include claims that the Archdiocese was aware of, disregarding, and/or covered up widespread claims of sexual abuse of minors dating back years. In some cases, monetary payments were made to victims and/or their families by the Archdiocese to dismiss allegations.”
The warrant also alleges that Hecker was not the only priest sent to a psychiatric facility to receive testing on allegations of child sex abuse.
LSP claims in the warrant that one document obtained by the agency proved that the Archbishop was “aware of rampant sexual abuse trough out the Archdiocese.”
The warrant claims much of the abuse took place at archdiocese facilities, including multiple reports of victims being ordered to skinny dip at a pool at the New Orleans Seminary.
According to the documents, priests had a gifting system that would allow other priests to know what victims were targets for potential abuse.
The warrant read:
“In some instances, ‘gifts’ were given to abuse victims by the accused with instructions to pass on or give the ‘gift’ to a certain priest at the next school or church. It was said that the ‘gift’ was a form of signaling to another priest that the person was a target of sexual abuse.”
The warrant ends with a request for “any and all documents that pertain in any way to the sexual abuse of a minor by clergy members employed or otherwise associated with the Archdiocese of New Orleans.”
LSP’s warrant said that based on the allegations, the opening of an investigation was warranted.
The warrant is seeking the information which State Police believed could constitute trafficking of children for sexual purposes, which is a felony.
It is unclear at this time what, if any, documents have been handed over to LSP.
WDSU reached out to the Archdiocese of New Orleans for a statement regarding the scope of the search warrant.
A spokesperson for the archdiocese issued the following statement last week in regards to the warrant:
“As always, the Archdiocese will continue to cooperate in all law enforcement investigations.”
“If anyone has played any role in protecting criminals, we are going after them,” Williams said. Stay with WDSU on this developing story.
Louisiana State Police released the following information last week regarding the search warrant and investigation:
“In 2022, the Louisiana State Police Bureau of Investigations Special Victims Unit (LSP-BOI-SVU) initiated an investigation into the Archdiocese of New Orleans following numerous complaints of child sexual abuse. Since the inception of the investigation, investigators have executed a search warrant and arrested former Priest, Lawrence Hecker. As part of the ongoing investigation, on Monday, April 22, 2024, SVU investigators obtained an additional search warrant to collect information and documents from the Archdiocese of New Orleans. The Archdiocese is cooperating with investigators to fulfill the terms of the search warrant. This investigation remains ongoing with no further information available at this time.”
WDSU investigative reporter Aubry Killion tracked down Hecker last year. Hecker was later arrested and is accused of rape and kidnapping. Hecker has pleaded not guilty.
He is awaiting trial pending the outcome of his mental evaluation.