After Investigation, Catholic Diocese of Richmond Finds Allegations of Sexual Abuse by Priest Not Credible

13News Now
January 28, 2021

https://www.13newsnow.com/article/news/local/virginia/after-investigation-richmond-catholic-diocese-denies-allegations-of-sexual-abuse-by-priest/291-d1aaa417-fdde-4d8d-9105-3ee12595c8a1

Thursday, the Catholic Diocese of Richmond announced that after an internal investigation, it didn't find the allegations of child sexual abuse against Fr. Thomas Long credible.

The allegations were announced in June, 2020.

Long was a teacher at Christ the King Catholic School in Norfolk in 1986 (when the alleged abuse happened), and took a leave of absence from ministry in 1988. He hasn't worked for the Richmond Diocese since then.

"Following a lengthy investigation by the Diocesan Review Board, Bishop Barry C. Knestout of the Catholic Diocese of Richmond has determined that the allegations of child sexual abuse made against Thomas Long, a former priest of the diocese, are not credible," a release read. "For this reason, Long will not have his name added to the diocesan list of clergy against whom credible and substantiated allegations of child sexual abuse have been made."