Fr. Daniel M. Azzarone, Jr.

Allegations against Azzarone of child sexual abuse were received by the Diocese as early as 1985, 1992 and 1998-1999. He was kept in ministry. In 11/2001 Azzarone was arrested, accused of sexually abusing a 15-year-old boy on a Caribbean cruise in 11/2000. The abuse continued until 2001, often in a parish rectory. Another youth then also accused him of abuse. Azzarone was placed on leave after his arrest. In 9/2005 Azzarone pleaded no contest to two counts of first-degree sexual assault and was sentenced to three years in prison and seven years’ probation, and ordered to register as a Level III sex offender. He was named in a 2005 civil lawsuit which settled in 8/2008 as part of a $1.326M settlement by the Providence diocese. He was laicized 6/12/2009, as announced in 2/2010. Included 7/1/2019 on the Diocese’s list of credibly accused. Included in the 3/4/2026 RI Attorney General’s Report, which notes that Azzarone was accused of sexually abusing at least six boys, convicted of raping two. Azzarone abused children throughout his priesthood, beginning in 1978. The abuse often involved plying the children with alcohol, and sometimes marijuana and cocaine. Azzarone’s victims ranged in age from 9-16.