Fr. Jonathan P. Shelley

Allegations were made in a 10/3/2013 hearing that the Archdiocese possessed images of child pornography retrieved from Shelley’s former laptop computer. The computer purchaser found pornography in 2003 and told church officials. The Church allegedly hid the evidence. Shelley took a sabbatical from St. John the Baptist in Hugo, MN 6/15/2012. He was placed on leave in 3/2013 after police were told of the evidence and went to retrieve it from the Archdiocese. They were given CDs of adult pornography. There were also possible inappropriate emails with a boy. Former high-ranking archdiocesan official turned whistleblower, Jennifer Haselberger, told police in 2013 that the documents she had seen related to the case said the pornography included a pre-pubescent boy appearing to engage in oral sex with another male, and searches such as “naked boy pics.” There was no prosecution for possession of pornography as of 1/29/2014. Shelley went on leave of absence 2014. In 1/2018 Archbishop Hebda announced Shelley’s return to limited ministry as a prison chaplain.