Fr. Jose Palimattom

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Order: OFM
Status: Convicted

Diocese: Diocese of Palm Beach FL

Arrested, charged with obscenity in 1/2015 for showing child abuse images to a 14-year-old boy. Admitted behavior. Served six months in jail then deported to his native India in 6/2015. The boy’s father alerted police. Palimattom sought the boy’s help to delete the photos. Assigned to Holy Name of Jesus, West Palm Beach since 12/2014. Police said Palimattom had gotten in trouble in India for involvement with a boy. The Diocese said a background check prior to Palimattom’s arrival showed no prior misconduct. Holy Name Administrator, Rev. John Gallagher, told police he was instructed that when Palimattom arrived he was to have no contact with minors without an adult present. Gallagher, who also alerted authorities about Palimattom, claimed demotion/poor treatment by the Diocese as a result in 1/2016. The Diocese refuted the claim. Gallagher filed suit against the Diocese 1/11/2017. Appeals court dismissed the suit in 5/2018, saying court cannot get involved in church administrative issues.


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