GREENSBURG (PA)
SNAP - Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests [Chicago IL]
May 20, 2026
SNAP applauds the courageous survivors who have stepped forward and cooperated with investigators to hold another sexual predator to account, following the arrest of a retired Catholic priest and former Pennsylvania State Police Chaplain.
Robert Byrnes, 84, has been charged with aggravated indecent assault and other charges for sex crimes dating back more than 10 years ago.
“This arrest is yet another painful reminder that survivors were often silenced not only by individual predators, but by the power and prestige those predators carried within their communities,” said SNAP Board President, Shaun Dougherty. “When a priest also served as a police chaplain, survivors could understandably fear that reporting abuse would lead nowhere or even place them at greater risk of intimidation and disbelief. Their bravery may very well protect others and help bring long overdue accountability.”
Speaking publicly about childhood sexual abuse is extraordinarily difficult, especially when the accused held positions of religious and civic authority. What makes this case especially troubling is that Pennsylvania has already lived through the horrifying revelations of the 2018 Grand Jury Report.
The public now understands that many dioceses, including Greensburg, were aware of abusive priests long before criminal charges were ever filed. Survivors have waited decades for accountability while institutions protected themselves and predators aged without consequence.
“The civil window legislation currently sitting in Harrisburg exists for cases exactly like this,” said SNAP’s Executive Director, Angela Walker. “Time does not erase trauma, and arbitrary deadlines should not shield those who abused children or the institutions that enabled them. Every time another elderly predator is exposed, Pennsylvania is reminded that justice delayed too often becomes justice denied.”
State police spokesman, Trooper Steve Limani, said this week that authorities found an unspecified number of photographs of a sexual nature related to the case.
“We would encourage anybody that feels that they were a victim to come forward and contact the state police barracks. The direct dial is 724-832-3288, and you’ll be sent to the investigator, the team handling this investigation,” Limani said.
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Several states have conducted in-depth investigations where victims of clergy abuse have worked with States Attorneys to demand justice. SNAP has collected these reports in one place for easy reference.
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