Fr. Michael V. LaMountain

Seminarian in Baltimore MD 1972-1976. Ordained in 1976 for the Diocese of Providence RI. LaMountain was pastor of St. John’s in West Warwick RI when suspended in 3/1995 after two men came forward with allegations that he sexually abused them as boys. The suspension came after Bishop Gelineau learned that the victims had spoken with police. The Diocese had known for years that LaMountain had sexually abused children. He was indicted in 10/1997 on criminal charges of the sexual abuse of five boys, as young as age 10, from the 1970s-1990s. He pleaded guilty in 1/1999 to nine counts and was sentenced to nine 12-year suspended sentences, to run concurrently. At least two civil suits were filed in 12/1995. Claims were settled in 9/2002 as part of a $13.5M mass settlement involving 36 victims and the Diocese.  Accused in 2001 of sexually abusing a 7th- or 8th-grade boy in Baltimore between 1972-1974. The victim reported the abuse to police in 1993 – LaMountain was not charged. The mother of another boy reported in 2002 that her son, who was deceased by 2002, “spent time” at age 14 with LaMountain and later accused seminarian Vernon Dahmen in the mid-1970s. This boy had been named by the previous accuser as a possible LaMountain victim. Included on the Baltimore archdiocese’s list of accused in 9/2002. In mid-August 2010 a man alleged abuse by LaMountain, including rape, at ages 9-11 in the early 1980s. LaMountain died 8/25/2010. In 2015 a man reported that LaMountain sexually abused him between ages 8-10 in the 1970s. He said he told a nun, but no action. Included 7/1/2019 on the Providence diocese’s list of credibly accused. Included in the 4/5/2023 MD Attorney General’s Report. Included in the 3/4/2026 RI Attorney General’s Report, which shows that LaMountain was accused of sexually abusing at least seven other boys and young men. Also, in 1976 a supervisor just prior to ordination said he felt that LaMountain should not be so close to youths. in 1984 LaMountain wrote apology letters to some of his victims, saying he was receiving professional help. In 10/1989 he was sent in for evaluation at the Sexual Disorders Clinic at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore MD, resulting in the recommendation that LaMountain should “avoid unsupervised contact with adolescent males.”