Priest facing sexual assault related charges served in Plover

WSAW 7 CBS
June 20, 2020

https://www.wsaw.com/content/news/Priest-facing-sexual-assault-related-charges-served-in-Plover-571393391.html

Richmond served as an Associate Pastor at St. Bronislava in Plover from 2017 to 2019.

Father Charlie Richmond, a Catholic priest facing charges related to sexual assault of a child in Chippewa Falls served as an Associate Pastor at St. Bronislava Parish in Plover from July of 2017 to July 2019.

Richmond served as the former chaplain for the Notre Dame Middle and McDonell Area Catholic High Schools in Chippewa Falls. He was also Associate Pastor at St. Charles Borromeo and St. Peter the Apostle Parishes. He currently lives in Viroqua.

NewsChannel 7’s sister-station in Eau Claire reported on Wednesday that Richmond is facing charges related to contact he had with a student at McDonell, including touching her back, shoulders and butt.

The alleged incidents happened between September 2016 and May 2017.

The student said that Father Richmond would have her sit on his lap and give him hugs, as well as being in constant communication with the student over social media apps.

In May, Richmond was interviewed by investigators and admitted to three to four incidents of sexual contact, according to the criminal complaint.

In a statement sent to NewsChannel 7’s sister-station, WEAU News, the Diocese of La Crosse says,

"On Monday, June 15, criminal charges were filed against Father Charlie Richmond in Chippewa County. The Diocese of La Crosse has cooperated and will continue to cooperate with Chippewa County and Chippewa Falls authorities. When the Diocese learned of the Chippewa Falls Police Department’s investigation of the matter, Father Richmond was immediately removed from all public ministry pending the law enforcement investigation, as well as a canonical review of the allegations. Father Richmond was ordained in 2015, and in conjunction with the Diocese’s Protect and Heal initiatives had background checks performed in 2007 and 2013, while in the seminary, and again in 2017 and 2019. Additional statements will be released by the Diocese as the case progresses and information becomes available. The Diocese continues to encourage all victims of sexual abuse to come forward to report their allegations. All the Diocese’s efforts regarding child protection can be reviewed at https://diolc.org/safe-environment/.

NewsChannel 7 reached out to St. Bronislava Parish, who confirmed that Richmond worked at the parish.

They requested all further questions be directed to the Diocese of La Crosse.