Police Issue Arrest Warrant for Dallas Priest after New Accuser Comes Forward

By David Tarrant
Dallas Morning News
January 15, 2019

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/2019/01/15/police-issue-arrest-warrant-dallaspriest-accused-molesting-three-boys-decade-ago

Dallas police have issued an arrest warrant for an Oak Cliff priest previously accused of molesting three teenagers after a new accuser reached out to investigators.

Edmundo Paredes, the former longtime pastor at St. Cecilia Catholic Church, had been accused of sexually assaulting three teenage boys more than a decade ago and stealing from his parish. The Dallas Catholic Diocese, amid a worldwide sex-abuse crisis within the Catholic Church, made the allegations public in August.

Those victims didn't want to pursue criminal charges against the priest, said Dallas police spokeswoman Tamika Dameron, in an emailed statement. But, she said, the announcement prompted another victim to come forward.

The new alleged victim contacted the department's Child Exploitation Unit, which initiated a criminal investigation. That investigation then led to the arrest warrant for Paredes issued for the offense of sexual assault of a child, police said.

Paredes, 70, could not be reached for comment. He is believed to have fled the Dallas area last year, and his whereabouts are unknown. Dallas Catholic Diocese officials have said they thought he may have returned to his native Philippines.

Dallas County Sheriff's spokesman Raul Reyna said police obtained the warrant last week.

Police have a detective -- David Clark of the child exploitation unit -- assigned to investigate sex-abuse allegations with minors within the Catholic diocese.