19 Accused in This Diocese
- BA.org Assignment Record
- Diocese of Salt Lake City List 12.04.18
- Deseret News 05.16.03
- Salt Lake Tribune 05.17.03
- Deseret News 05.20.03
- Casper Star Tribune 05.27.03
- Deseret News 05.28.03
- Deseret News 06.03.03
- Associated Press 09.10.03
- Deseret Morning News 09.10.03
- Salt Lake Tribune 11.05.03
- Deseret News 11.07.03
- Chicago Tribune 03.11.12
- Diocese of Salt Lake City List 12.04.18
- Diocese of Salt Lake City List 12.04.18
- Diocese of Salt Lake City List 12.04.18
- Diocese of Salt Lake City List 12.04.18
- Diocese of Salt Lake City List 12.04.18
- Diocese of Joliet Updated List 12.13.19
- Archdiocese of Oklahoma City List Updated 01.21.20
- IL Attorney General’s Report Assignment Record
- MI Attorney General Diocese of Lansing Report 12.16.24
- Daily Oklahoman 05.12.99
- Associated Press 10.26.99
- Daily Oklahoman 05.10.02
- Washington Post 05.21.02
- Daily Oklahoman 05.22.02
- Daily Oklahoman 06.04.02
- Dallas Morning News 06.12.02
- Daily Oklahoman 07.20.02
- Toledo Blade (Major Account) 12.01.02
- Toledo Blade 12.01.02
- Salt Lake Tribune 02.19.03
- Salt Lake Tribune 08.20.03
- Salt Lake Tribune 08.23.03
- Daily Oklahoman 02.28.04
- KLS TV 01.30.06
- Deseret Morning News 02.02.06
- Salt Lake Tribune 03.13.07
- Salt Lake Tribune 04.02.07
- Salt Lake Tribune 07.23.07
- Cincinnati Ins Co V Oblates of St Francis De Sales, Inc in The Legal 09.20.10
- Patrick Wall 09.10.13
- The Legal Examiner 06.01.15
- MLive 06.26.15
- MLive 06.26.15
- WLNS 04.29.16
- KRON 04.29.16
- MLive 04.29.16
- SNAP 04.29.16
- WILX 04.29.16
- MLive 04.29.16
- Naperville Sun 04.30.16
- NDTV 04.30.16
- New York Daily News 04.30.16
- Crux 05.03.16
- MLive 05.04.16
- Click on Detroit 09.27.16
- Associated Press 11.15.17
- MLive 11.26.17
- Buffalo News 06.20.18
- Diocese of Salt Lake City List 12.04.18
- Diocese of Lansing List 09.27.19
- Archdiocese of Oklahoma City List 10.03.19
- The Oklahoman 10.04.19
- Diocese of Joliet Updated List 12.13.19
- Salt Lake Tribune 10.09.20
- KSL 11.29.20
- IL Attorney General’s Report 05.23.23
- MLive 09.11.24
- Diocese of Salt Lake City List 12.04.18
- Diocese of Salt Lake City List 12.04.18
Fr. Mario Arbelaez Olarte
Arrested 5/03, charged with enticing a minor over the internet. Claimed he was doing research. Posed as a 20-year-old. Agreed to meet a 15-year-old boy ; the "boy" was a police officer. Placed on leave, his computer seized. In 9/03 he pled no contest to the criminal charges. Did not show up for sentencing 11/03. Defense attorney said Olarte had returned to his native country of Colombia as part of plea agreement. Prosecutors denied.Judge issued an arrest warrant. On sex offender registry. Laicized 3/31/06. On Salt Lake diocese's list 12/4/18.
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Seminarian Leonardo E. Ariza
Status: Accused
Diocese: Diocese of Salt Lake City UT
Seminarian. Named publicly as accused by the diocese on its list 12/4/18. Diocese noted to have received an allegation 8/27/02 of sexual abuse of a minor 8/15/02. Terminated from seminary 9/4/02. Reported to DCFS/Law Enforcement 9/5/02.
Fr. Joseph M. Baraniewicz
Worked in the Salt Lake diocese 1974-1990 Named publicly as accused on the Salt Lake diocese's list 12/4/2018. Incident(s) of "holding children on lap, kissing, hugging children 10/25/1990 reported to the diocese 10/26/1990. Sent for alcohol treatment, returned to his order. Transferred to the Lansing diocese in 1/1991. Per the MI Attorney General's Lansing report in 12/2024, it found no indication that the diocese had been informed of the allegations in 1990 against Baraniewicz. His file did show an allegation in 2000 that Baraniewicz hugged, kissed and touched the breast of a female parishioner of St. Mary's in Adrian. Baraniewicz died 2/24/2012.
Fr. William Cody Bressler
Died in 1990. Named publicly as accused by the Salt Lake City diocese on its list 12/4/2018. Allegations reported to the diocese 2/13/2004 that Bressler put his hands up the legs of a minor 1955-1956. He was in Salt Lake as a visiting priest. Salt Lake informed the Diocese of Arlington VA. Faculties removed. Included on the Alexandria LA diocese's list 2/6/2019. It notes multiple credible allegations of abuse of male and female minors in the 1960s, brought to the Review Board in 2004 and 2005. Settlements with victims in 2006 and 2017. Included in 11/2021 on the Gallup diocese's list of credibly accused.
Fr. Heriberto Castrellion Mejia
From Colombia. Assigned in the Diocese of Salt Lake City 1990-1992. Faculties removed in 10/1992 after the Diocese received allegations in 8/1991 and 10/1992 against Mejia of sexual abuse. In 12/2024 a man reported to Salt Lake's Bishop Solis that Mejia sexually abused him when he was 16 in 1991. The boy graduated high school in 1992 and was in seminary in OH when he heard that Mejia had been forced out of the diocese. He said he felt relieved because he was anxious that he might have to see the priest again; then Mejia contacted him and said he was a hospital chaplain in Detroit and wanted to visit. The young seminarian contacted the Salt Lake City diocese's vicar general, Msgr. Robert Bussen, thinking he would prevent the visit. The vicar general instead said "Enjoy your time with him," despite being fully aware of allegations against Mejia. Mejia visited and again molested the teenager. In 7/2025 the Diocese released a statement that Mejia was removed from the diocese in 1992 "for reasons unrelated to sexual misconduct." However, in 2019 the Diocese reported to police that Mejia had "confessed to sexually exploiting two juveniles in 1991" and had "been deported to Colombia." In 7/2025 the Diocese stated that it reported the former seminarian's allegations to police and was conducting an internal investigation. It also said that Mejia had lost his priestly faculties in his diocese in Colombia. Reportedly in 8/2025, the Diocese found the allegations credible and apologized to the man who came forward in 12/2024. The man called for the removal of the faculties of Msgr. Bussen and Msgr. Terrence Fitzgerald, who he said "conceal[ed] Mejia's misconduct."
Fr. George F. Davich
Monsignor. Named publicly as accused on the diocese's list 12/4/18. Parish priest, Vicar General 1982-86. Allegations reported 5/2/02 to the diocese that Davich slept in bed with a minor 1979-85. He retired without faculties 8/02 and was ordered by the Vatican to a life of prayer and penance. Reported in 2012 to be living in CA.
Fr. Raymond A. Devlin
In 1/1990 the family of a boy, age 14, told Salt Lake diocesan officials that Devlin molested their son in CA while there for a track meet in 12/1989. Devlin was a teacher and the boy's track coach at St. Joseph High School in Ogden. The family agreed to keep silent if Devlin went to counseling and was removed from contact with children. No prosecution. Sent to the Jesuit Community in Los Gatos, CA, received three months' counseling. The family went to the press in 8/1993 after learning that Devlin was in active ministry at a parish in Virginia City, NV, with access to minors. Removed. Sent back to Los Gatos where he lived until his death 2/6/2011. The Catholic Directory 1995-1997 shows him in Los Gatos and at the Cathedral in Stockton, CA. On Salt Lake City diocese's list 12/4/2018. On Las Vegas diocese's list 4/12/2019. On Jesuits West Province list 12/7/2018, noting a parish assignment in Paradise, CA 1991-1993. On Stockton's 11/12/2020 list.
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Fr. Paul Franco
Named publicly as accused on the diocese's list 12/4/18. Report to diocese 6/17/02 that Franco sexually abused a minor 1976-79. It notes that Franco left ministry in 5/86 and was suspended in 10/86.
Fr. David R. Gaeta
Allegations reported to archdiocese in 8/18 of abuse by Gaeta in 1981 or 1982 at St. Joseph's Catholic High School in Ogden. Placed on leave 8/24/18. Military chaplain and hospital chaplain in his native Massachusetts during 1984-2017. Returned to UT 2017. On Salt Lake diocese's list 12/4/18. Retired without faculties.
Fr. Francisco Gomez
Named publicly as accused on the Salt Lake diocese's list 12/4/18. It notes he was a visiting priest, working in the diocese 1990-2002. Allegation in 4/02 of sex abuse of a minor in 1994. Faculties removed and he retired in 5/02.
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Fr. James M. Greenwell
Status: Accused
Diocese: Diocese of Salt Lake City UT
Named publicly as accused on the diocese's list 12/4/18. Allegation to diocese 9/12/02 that Greenwell molested and took nude photos of a minor in 1980. Greenwell's first assignment in the diocese was 1975. He left the priesthood 8/86.
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Fr. Charles LaPenta
Named publicly as accused on the Salt Lake City diocese's list 12/4/18. Noted to have been accused in 11/06 of kissing a minor 1972-1976+. LaPenta worked in the diocese 1970-96. LaPenta was living in a nursing facility run by his Order in 2006, diagnosed with dementia. Died in OH 8/1/09. Per his obituary he was a high school teacher, guidance counselor and administrator. He worked at his Order's schools in DE, PA, NY and UT. Chaplain to the Royal family of Monaco in the 1960s. Also U.S. Army chaplain in UT and pastor of two parishes.
Fr. Leonidas Lopez
From Colombia. First assignment in the diocese in 1987. Named publicly as accused on the diocese's list 12/4/18. Allegations of the sex abuse of three minors 1984 and 1988+ noted to have been reported 9/6/02 and 11/20/08. Lopez's faculties were removed in 9/99. Returned to Colombia. Laicized 9/5/14.
Br. Neil McMenamin
Named publicly as accused on the Salt Lake City diocese's list 12/4/18. Diocese noted it received a allegation 3/13/07 that McMenamin sexually abused a minor in 1962. Reported to Order 3/07. McMenamin died 4/7/15. Per his obituary, he joined his Order in 1958. Assigned to Northeast Catholic High School in Philadelphia 1959-62, Judge Memorial High School in to Salt Lake City 1962-71, then St. Mary's High School in Stockton CA 1971. There until 2010. Lived in Order's community in Childs MD 2010 until his death.
Fr. Thomas P. O’Neill
Accused 4/25/02 of sexually abusing a boy 1963-67 in the early 1960s, while assigned to Judge Memorial School in Salt Lake City. O'Neill was at the school 1957-70, principal 1962-70. Principal of St. Mary's HS in Stockton CA diocese 1970-78. Removed 5/02 from St. Francis de Sales HS in Toledo OH diocese where he moved in 1978. Taught at Father Judge HS in Philadelphia PA in late 1950s. Named in 2003 suit as having knowledge of abuse by James Rapp. Suit dismissed on SOL 8/03. Died 09/21/15. On Diocese of Salt Lake City's list 12/4/18. Added to Stockton's list 11/12/20.
Fr. James F. Rapp
Worked in PA, UT, NY, IL, MI and OK. Teacher, wrestling coach. Accused of abuse of at least two MI boys in 1987. Removed, sent to treatment. Accepted in 1987 into the Joliet diocese by Bishop Imesch, who knew of Rapp's sexual abuse of boys. Also worked in OK; abused boys there. Convicted in 1999 in OK; received a 40-year sentence. Settlement of $5M in an OK civil suit. Accused in a 2003 Utah lawsuit by two brothers; dismissed due to the statute of limitations. Laicized 9/21/2009. Charged in 5/2015 with abuse in the 1980s of boys at Lumen Christi High in Jackson MI. Six more counts added 6/26/2015. Pleaded no contest in 2/2016. Sentenced to up to 40 years 4/29/2016. Included on the Salt Lake City diocese's list 12/4/2018, where he was accused in 11/2000-2002 of abusing four minors 1969-1975. On the Lansing list 9/27/2019. On the OK City diocese's list 10/3/2019, and on the Joliet diocese's list (ordination date wrong). New lawsuit in 10/2020 in UT. A new suit in 11/2020 v the Salt Lake City diocese alleges a nun walked in on Rapp abusing a boy, did nothing, and threatened the boy. Included in the 5/23/2023 IL Attorney General's Report. Died 9/6/2024 in prison.
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Fr. Reyes G. Rodriguez
Named publicly as accused on the diocese's list 12/4/18. It notes three cases of abuse, reported in 1987, 2004 and 2007. Faculties removed in 2002, retired 8/02. Ordered by the Vatican to a life of prayer and penance.
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Fr. Glen M. Shrope
Named publicly as accused on the diocese's list 12/4/18. Diocese noted it received an allegation in 2003 that Shrope sexually abused a minor in 1976. He was assigned to St. Therese in Midvale 1972-82. His faculties were removed in 1983. Deceased.
Fr. Lawrence M. Spellen
"Bud." Spellen told Bishop Weigand in 1993 that he was being accused of sexual misconduct during the mid-1980s. Diocese investigated and found some merit in accusations. Spellen was placed on leave. Matter reported to CPS. Apparently the misconduct was still going on because Vicar General offered the youth counseling when he said he wanted to break off the "relationship." Spellen died 2/18/03. Worked in Honolulu at Damien High at one point. Named in 10/13 civil suit in Hawaii. On Salt Lake CIty diocese's list 12/4/18. It notes allegations received 1992, 5/02 and 10/12 of abuse of three minors 1958-69 and 1980s.