GRAND RAPIDS (MI)
WZZM - ABC 13 [Grand Rapids MI]
December 11, 2025
By Kayla Crandall, Cali Lichter
The Michigan Attorney General’s Office investigated the priest but declined to move forward with criminal charges. One victim said the Diocese didn’t protect her.
MONTAGUE, Mich. — Despite multiple women and witnesses alleging a history of inappropriate behavior by a West Michigan Catholic priest, the Attorney General’s Office said they can’t charge him.
Victims fear that, without charges, more women could be at risk.
13 ON YOUR SIDE first learned about the investigation into Rev. Peter Omogo this week, and one of the alleged victims detailed in the AG’s report agreed to speak with us as long as we don’t show her face and disguise her voice.
13 ON YOUR SIDE does not identify victims of sexual abuse unless they want to identify themselves.
The Diocese of Grand Rapids said Omogo resigned from his role effective May 2, 2025, and said his bishop recalled him to his diocese in Nigeria. It’s not clear if he continues his ministry there.
Father Peter Omogo, born in Nigeria, was ordained as a priest in 2004 and has served at various parishes in West Michigan for years, including All Saints Parish in Fremont, St. James Parish in Montague and Our Lady of the Assumption Parish in Rothbury.
The woman who spoke with us shared an 18-page document detailing the Michigan Attorney General’s Office investigation into her allegations, as well as other alleged victims and witnesses.
The Michigan Attorney General’s Office didn’t want to speak about the case, indicating they will release more details next week. They declined an interview.
In the report, the AG’s office spoke with six alleged victims and three witnesses who detailed allegations against Omogo, ranging from unwanted touching and kissing to repeated sexual assault.
Ultimately, the AG’s office closed its investigation in June 2025. Investigators said some of the alleged victims did not want to move forward, and in other cases, the statute of limitations had run out. The AG’s office said that for one woman’s allegations, they didn’t believe they could meet the burden of proving beyond a reasonable doubt that Omogo was guilty of a crime.
“I believe in God, I love Jesus. But he’s robbed me of the Catholic faith because of what he’s done. The diocese would not listen to me,” one victim told 13 ON YOUR SIDE. “The Diocese [of Grand Rapids] knew about this, and they didn’t protect me. Thus, all these other horrific things have happened, right? I’m more angry with the Diocese.”
The woman said she is no longer Catholic.
She says she was close to Omogo and considered him a brother, inviting him to her family’s home, taking him to doctors’ appointments, and assisting him with church business.
During one interaction, she and Omogo were working alone together on a project when she posted something to social media and made a comment that angered him.
He pounded his fist in anger, which made the victim cry.
“It frightened me,” she said.
She then said he touched her.
“He lifted me up, and he put both hands on my face, and he kissed me on the lips, and he says, ‘I’m sorry.’ Kiss me on the lips. ‘I love you.’ Kiss me on the lips. ‘I would never do anything to hurt you,'”she said.
In other instances, she claims he would grab her hand when she and her husband would give him rides, kiss her, and touch her inappropriately.
When her husband confronted Omogo about him kissing his wife, he allegedly asked him: “Were you there? Did you see it?”
After she went to Diocese leaders about the alleged behavior, she claims Omogo “blew up” her and her husband’s phones, saying they needed to talk. When she called the Diocese again, she claims she was hung up on after she asked for Omogo to be removed.
Although the statute of limitations has passed for her to file charges, she believes there are more victims not listed in the report who may come forward.
Now in counseling, she said she’s reframing the interactions between herself and the man she once considered a brother.
“I was used, I was blind. I want to say naive, but my counselor said, ‘No, you were not naive. You were just groomed,'” she said. “And this is the kind of person I am. I take everybody in, you know? If anyone needs help, I help them.”
Peter Omogo has not been charged with a crime.
13 ON YOUR SIDE called and texted a phone number with a West Michigan area code associated with Omogo’s charity, asking for a statement regarding the allegations. We have not heard back. https://creative-p.undertone.com/2150/136824-1761241035/m242-0.htmlAdvertisementScroll to continue reading
In an emailed statement to 13 ON YOUR SIDE on Dec. 11, the Diocese of Grand Rapids said:
“The Diocese of Grand Rapids takes every allegation of sexual misconduct seriously. Allegations of unwanted contact involving Father Omogo and an adult were directly reported to civil authorities in late 2017. Law enforcement did not request the diocese to take further action during the investigation. At the conclusion of the investigation, law enforcement chose not to file criminal charges, and Father Omogo was allowed to remain in active ministry.
In December 2024, the diocese became aware of a new allegation involving Father Omogo and an adult. As required by our policies, we immediately turned the report over to the Attorney General’s Office for investigation. The Diocese of Grand Rapids suspended Father Omogo from ministry for the duration of the civil investigation.
Law enforcement investigated the allegations and, once again, decided not to file criminal charges.
Father Omogo is a priest of the Diocese of Abakaliki in Nigeria. He has no ecclesiastical connection with the Diocese of Grand Rapids, and he is not permitted to function as a priest within the territory of this Diocese.
Our diocese notified Father Omogo’s home diocese of the allegations and the outcome of the investigation.”
The Michigan Department of Attorney General has an investigation hotline at 844-324-3374 dedicated to collecting tips about Catholic clergy abuse allegations. You can also send the AG’s office an email or fill out an anonymous tip here.