MINNESOTA
CBS Minnesota
[with video]
Rachel Slavik
ST. PAUL (WCCO) — The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis now faces criminal charges over how it handled an abusive priest.
The Ramsey County Attorney today said top church leaders failed to protect children from the Reverend Curtis Wehmeyer. He’s in prison for molesting two brothers in Minnesota and facing charges of sexually abusing a third boy in Wisconsin.
Over the last several months they’ve interviewed more than 50 witnesses specifically looking at who knew what when with complaints against Curtis Wehmeyer. Although Wehmeyer committed the crimes, prosecutors say the top church is also criminally responsible.
“Facts can’t be ignore, they can’t be dismissed, and are frankly appalling,” Ramsey County Attorney John Choi said.
A 43 page criminal complaint outlines Wehmeyer’s 11 years with the Catholic Church — a tenure filled with complaints of inappropriate behavior with young boys and men but no effort to stop him.
“When confronted with disturbing information about Curtis Wehmeyer, church officials time and time again turned a blind eye,” Choi said.
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