Diocese of Arlington VA

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Terry McKiernan February 26, 2021

18 Accused in This Diocese

Fr. Scott A. Asalone

Order: OFM Cap
Ordained: 1983
Status: Convicted

Diocese: Diocese of Arlington VA

Named publicly as accused by the Arlington diocese on its list in 2/2019. Rector of St. Frances de Sales in Purcellville 1984 until his removal in 1993, after an allegation of sexual abuse. Dismissed from his order in 2007. Living in NJ when arrested in 3/2020; charged with "carnal knowledge of a minor between 13 and 15 years old." The abuse happened in VA over several months in 1985. His victim reported the abuse to the church in the 1990s when he was in his early 20s, and received a settlement. Convicted in 12/2022. Sentenced in 6/2023 to eight years in prison and required to register as a sex offender for life.

Sources:

Fr. Richard P. Baird

Donate Photo

Ordained: 1940
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of Arlington VA

Named publicly as accused by the Arlington diocese on its list in 2/19. Died 1996. Accused after his death of sexual abuse of a minor. Found credible by his Order.

Sources:

Diocese of Arlington List 02.25.19

Fr. Robert C. Brooks

Ordained: 1961
Status: Sentenced

Diocese: Diocese of Arlington VA

Ordained for the Diocese of Richmond. Incardinated into the Diocese of Arlington in 1974. Arrested in 2005, indicted on charge of possession of or attempt to possess child porn. Placed on leave. Pled no contest in 10/05. Sentenced in 12/05 to three years in jail, suspended in favor of two years probation. A man came forward just before sentencing to allege that Brooks had exposed himself to the man when the man was age 13. On the diocese's list in 2/19. It notes that Brooks was removed from public ministry in 2004 and retired with no active ministry or faculties in 2006.

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Fr. Robert P. Buchmeier

Ordained: 1991
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of Arlington VA

Pastor of Holy Cross Church in Garrett Park MD when placed on leave by the Archbishop of Washington D.C. in 9/22, due to allegations that Buchmeier sexually abused minors prior to ordination. The abuse allegedly occurred in Northern VA. Buchmeier was a U.S. Army officer for 15 years before entering the priesthood.

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Fr. Christopher Buckner

Ordained: 1980
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of Arlington VA

Placed on leave in 5/07 after allegations of inappropriate conduct with a minor 1992-94. Matter reported to police. Buckner denied the allegations. Working with Catholic Distance University when placed on leave from St. Veronica's in Chantilly. On diocese's list in 2/19. It notes that the allegation was deemed credible by the Diocesan Review Board. Buckner contested the finding, but waived his right to "further canonical recourse" due to poor health. Retired without faculties in 2018.

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Fr. Gervase Cain

Order: TOR
Ordained: 1957
Status: Charged

Died: 05/12/2018
Diocese: Diocese of Arlington VA

Taught in PA schools, pastor of PA and WV parishes, taught at St. Francis University in Loretto PA for 20 years, VP there 1976-83. Retired to Franciscan retirement facility in Frederick County VA. Arrested 7/26/17, charged with taking indecent liberties with a child by a person in a custodial or supervisory relationship. Complaint was said to have first been filed in 2003 of abuse by Cain of a 15-year-old girl, at her home in Fairfax. First reported in 2004, later withdrawn, reopened in 5/17. Cain died 5/12/18.

Sources:

Fr. Curtis L. Clark

Donate Photo

Ordained: 1984
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of Arlington VA

Named publicly by the Diocese on its list in 2/2019. Removed from public ministry in 2003. Laicized in 2004.

Sources:

Diocese of Arlington List 02.25.19

Fr. Michael R. Duesterhaus

Ordained: 1991
Status: Reinstated

Diocese: Diocese of Arlington VA

Parochial vicar at Sacred Heart of Jesus in Winchester when placed on leave 3/18 due to "allegation of sexual misconduct with a minor ... between 2001 and 2004." Fairfax County Police were investigating. Duesterhaus denied the allegation. Per the diocese, Duesterhaus was assigned in the past to parishes in Falls Church, Annandale, Ashburn, Stafford, Fredericksburg, Lake Ridge, Woodridge, and South Riding. He also worked outside the diocese as a military chaplain 1996-99, 2004-06, 2008-09, 2011-12. The diocese stated it was informed 1/17/19 that criminal charges would not be pursued by the Stafford County Commonwealth Attorney, after other jurisdictions decided the same. Also, the Diocesan Review Board determined that "a credible allegation....had not been made... ." Duesterhaus was no longer on administrative leave and he was allowed to complete graduate studies.

Assignments:

Loudoun Times 04.11.18

Sources:

Fr. William J. Erbacher

Donate Photo

Ordained: 1987
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of Arlington VA

Named publicly as accused by the diocese on its list in 2/19. Removed from public ministry in 2001. Given "life of prayer and penance" by the Vatican in 2010.

Sources:

Diocese of Arlington List 02.25.19

Fr. Ronald S. Escalante

Ordained: 1995
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of Arlington VA

Pastor of St. Francis de Sales in Purcellville when placed on leave in 12/18 during investigation of possible boundary violations with a minor and adults. Denied allegations. Sheriff's Office investigated; no criminal charges filed, as announced 12/14/18. Diocese was to do an internal investigation in relation to its Code of Conduct for Clergy. Bishop Burbridge announced in 9/19 that Escalante admitted to "unbecoming" behavior with the adults, and that the priest resigned from his parish and was on leave of absence. Also, the diocese's review board found the minor to be believable but that Escalante's behavior wasn't sexual abuse as defined by Canon Law and Diocesan child protection policies.

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Fr. Michael Kuhn

Donate Photo

Ordained: 1997
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of Arlington VA

Ordained for the Diocese of Fall River MA. Left Fall River in 2004 to work in the Diocese of Arlington VA and Archdiocese of Baltimore MD as a member of the Youth Apostles Institute. Suspended in 10/2018 pending investigation of an allegation that he had engaged in sexual misconduct with a minor in about 1975, decades prior to ordination, when Kuhn was age 18. He denied the allegation. The Fall River dioceses deemed the allegation unfounded in 2019. Found credibly accused in 2022 by Fall River after allegations of explicit sexual verbal communication with minors, and added to the diocese's list. Also added in 2022 to the Baltimore archdiocese's list of accused. Mentioned in the 4/5/2023 MD Attorney General's Report.

Assignments:

The Arlington Catholic Herald 10.23.18

Sources:

Fr. Christopher J. Mould

Ordained: 1988
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of Arlington VA

Admitted in 10/19 to "sexual contact" on once occasion with a minor while assigned to St. Thomas Becket in Reston 1992-95. Resigned from his position as pastor of St. Andrew the Apostle, removed from ministry. Police report filed. Added to diocese's list of credibly accused.

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Fr. Tran Dinh Nhi

Donate Photo

Ordained: 1971
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of Arlington VA

From Vietnam. Arrived in the U.S. in 1975, assigned to the Arlington diocese. Incardinated into the diocese in 1980. Placed on leave in 5/06 after allegations he abused two girls 1975-1980. Diocese deemed allegations credible. Nhi contested the finding. On the diocese's list in 2/19. Final determination of his canonical status pending.

Assignments:

Catholic Herald (Virginia) 5.11.06

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Fr. William Thomas Reinecke

Ordained: 1965
Status: Accused

Died: 08/11/1992
Diocese: Diocese of Arlington VA

Monsignor. Chancellor from 1980; vicar general from 1986. In 1992 a man accused Reinecke of sexually abusing him when he was a 13-year-old altar boy in 1967-1968, on an overnight trip to Williamsburg. Reinecke performed oral sex on the boy. Reinecke apologized and died by suicide in 1992. Another man then alleged fondling during an overnight trip to Williamsburg in 1969. In 2007, the Review Board deemed credible a woman's 2006 allegation of abuse in the late 1960s, when she was a child in the Richmond diocese. Included on the Richmond and Arlington diocese's lists in 2/2019.

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Fr. Stephen A. Roszel

Donate Photo

Ordained: 1977
Status: Settled

Diocese: Diocese of Arlington VA

Accused in a 1993 civil suit of sexually abusing a girl 1977-1992, beginning when the girl was age 13. He wrote her letters, sent flowers, "courted" her, etc. Girl kept a diary. Placed on leave by diocese in 1994 pending investigation. Suit settled under undisclosed terms. Per June 6/02 article, he had been returned to ministry (in 1997) and was serving at an Alexandria, VA parish. On the diocese's list in 2/19. It notes that he was removed from active ministry and his faculties were removed in 2003.

Assignments:

Catholic Herald 5.9.02

Sources:

Fr. Robert M. Rutledge

Order: OSFS
Ordained: 1989
Status: Settled

Diocese: Diocese of Arlington VA

While a teacher at a Catholic high school, Rutledge was accused of assaulting and emotionally battering a male student beginning in 9/95. The boy became so emotionally upset, particularly after school officials became aware of the abuse and refused to remove Rutledge, that he had to be withdrawn from school. Rutledge left the school in 1996 and began teaching at a College in PA. Civil suit filed in 1997. Settled. Still residing in the diocese per 2008 directory accessed on 7/21/08. In 3/18 noted to be pastor of a parish in the Raleigh NC diocese.

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Fr. Terry W. Specht

Ordained: 1996
Status: Acquitted

Diocese: Diocese of Arlington VA

Spent 20 years in the Navy prior to priesthood. Complaint made in 1/12 that he had been involved in sexual misconduct with a teenage boy in the late 1990s; not removed until 4/12 from position at Holy Spirit Church in Annandale. Was parochial vicar at St. Mary of Sorrows Church in Fairfax at the time of the alleged sexual misconduct. Director of the Office of Child Protection and Safety 2004-2011. Denied the allegations. Reportedly in 2/19, the diocese was unable to decide whether the allegations were credible, and Specht was granted a medical retirement shortly after he was placed on leave. In 12/21 the VA Attorney General announced that Specht was indicted by a grand jury on two felony charges related to the alleged sexual abuse of a child younger than 13, occurring in 2000. Specht was chaplain and assistant principal of St. Paul VI Catholic High School during the time in question. Found not guilty at trial in 10/22. Per the diocese, Specht would not be returned to ministry.

Assignments:

BA.org Assignment Record

Sources:

Fr. Clarence N. Watkins

Donate Photo

Ordained: 1967
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of Arlington VA

Ordained for the Diocese of Richmond. Incardinated into the Arlington diocese when it was formed in 1974. Named publicly by the Diocese of Arlington on its list in 2020. No details provided. Died in 2012.

Sources:

Diocese of Arlington List 12.09.20

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