In the early years of the 21st century, the U.S. Catholic Church was rocked by numerous allegations of child sex abuse perpetrated by priests, bishops, and other authority figures who worked under the auspices of this worldwide organization. Hundreds of priests were accused of taking advantage of their access to minors, and the trust given to members of their profession, to sexually exploit children over whom they had some measure of authority.
Although there were well-publicized reports in the 1980s and ‘90s of sexual abuse within the U.S. Catholic Church, the issue gained new prominence in 2002 when The Boston Globe published a series of articles alleging a pattern of sex-abuse coverups within local dioceses. The ensuing scandal rapidly spread to other areas around the country, including Arizona.
Over the last few decades, many civil lawsuits have been filed against Arizona dioceses and the clergy members associated with them. These suits have generated millions of dollars in settlements. It is likely that more lawsuits will be filed as victims continue to come forward with credible claims of sexual abuse.
In Arizona alone, there have been several high-profile settlements relating to charges of sexual misconduct committed by members of the clergy. Notable settlements include:
- In 2003, the Diocese of Phoenix revealed that it had to date paid out $2.7 million to settle sexual abuse cases, with the majority of those funds given to 14 victims.
- In 2005, a bankruptcy judge approved a reorganization plan for the Diocese of Tucson that paid out $22.2 million in settlement money for victims of sex abuse.
- In 2017, the Diocese of Gallup agreed to pay $17.6 million to an undisclosed number of victims (57 claims were filed in total) as part of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization plan.
In some cases of child sex abuse involving Catholic clergy, the offender is deceased by the time the victim decides to pursue legal action. However, it is still possible under these circumstances to pursue a civil lawsuit against the diocese with which the clergy member was associated.
Arizona Law on Sexual Abuse
In May 2019, the state of Arizona dramatically updated its laws pertaining to the legal rights of persons who were sexually abused as minors. House Bill 2466 (HB 2466) extended the statute of limitations for sex abuse victims from two years to twelve years after the victim reaches the age of 18. This means that victims of childhood sexual abuse now have until their 30th birthday to file a civil lawsuit against the offender.
This extended statute of limitations applies to cases involving offenders responsible for sexual conduct or sexual contact caused by intentional action or negligence, including mandatory reporters who failed in their duty to report an incident of this nature. These terms can be defined, in the context of this law, as follows:
- Sexual conduct – Intentional acts of oral contact or sexual intercourse involving a person under 18 years of age.
- Sexual contact – Masturbation in the presence of a minor, or direct or indirect touching or fondling of genitalia, anus, or female breast. This is not meant to include “reasonable” contact during caretaking activities.
HB 2466 also established a temporary “lookback window” that allowed victims to sue offenders even in cases where the statute of limitation would ordinarily bar such action. However, this lookback window expired on December 31, 2020. The normal 12-year statute of limitations will apply to all new civil lawsuits filed in Arizona.
The laws outlined above refer to the statute of limitations for civil lawsuits; different standards apply to criminal cases in Arizona. For serious sex-related crimes involving a minor, there is no statute of limitations; charges can be brought against an offender no matter how long ago the abuse occurred. Crimes that have no statute of limitations include sexual assault and sexual exploitation of a minor.
Note on the List of Priests Accused of Abuse in AZ
The names listed in the space below were derived from the Arizona section of bishop-accountability.org, a website that strives to maintain an up-to-date database of Catholic clergy members across the United States who have been publicly accused of committing acts of child sexual abuse. This list includes priests, bishops, nuns, brothers, and seminarians. Further details about the nature of the accusations against them can be found by visiting the link provided above.
Persons on this list are associated with the Diocese of Phoenix or the Diocese of Tucson. Clergy members primarily associated with the Diocese of Gallup are not included here. Although the Diocese of Gallup encompasses the Arizona counties of Navajo and Apache, it is based in New Mexico and for that reason it is customarily placed on lists for that state.
Please note that all individuals listed here should be presumed innocent unless their guilt is established in accordance with the standards of the legal system. Accusations and civil settlements are not considered legal evidence of guilt.
Fr. Solomon Bandiho
Ordained: 1994
Diocese: Diocese of Phoenix AZ
Originally from Tanzania. Employed as an Administrator at Holy Cross Parish in Mesa (2014).
Caught by a sting operation soliciting sex from a 16-year-old girl. Arrested in 2014 on suspicion of child prostitution and removed from the ministry.
Fr. George V. Bredemann
Ordained: 1983
Diocese: Diocese of Phoenix AZ
Accused of abusing 15 underage boys prior to becoming a priest and at least 8 during his priesthood. Arrested and sentenced to a year in jail in 1989, with lifetime probation. Arrested again while trying to flee the country and sentenced to 45 years. Civil suits settled in 1991 and 1994. Laicized 2003. Died in prison in 2012.
Fr. James Bretl
Ordained: 1965
Diocese: Diocese of Phoenix AZ
Accused in a 2020 lawsuit of sexually abusing a girl in the late 1970s or early 1980s while at St. Mark’s parish in Phoenix. Also active in Tanzania, Nevada, and Tennessee, as well as unspecified locations around the Midwest. Died in 2010.
Fr. Joseph Cervantez Briceno
Ordained: 1981
Diocese: Diocese of Phoenix AZ
Left the U.S. in 1992 to work as a priest in Mexico after being placed on leave due to accusations of child abuse, involving a brother and sister, that occurred in the early ‘80s. Privileges removed in 2002. Indicted in 2003, pled guilty in 2006. Sentenced to 2 years in prison and registration as a sex offender. Laicized in 2010.
Fr. Richard Edmund Butler
Ordained: 1949
Diocese: Diocese of Tucson AZ
Employed at St. Thomas More Newman Center in 1968-74. Director of Los Changuitos Feos de Tucson, a Mexican mariachi band of teenage boys. Died in 1988. Accusations of sexual misconduct involving minors surfaced in 2003, and ruled credible by the diocese.
Fr. William T. Byrne
Ordained: 1952
Diocese: Diocese of Tucson AZ
Accusations of sexual misconduct date back to ‘60s and ‘70s. Sued in 1999 and 2002. Part of $14 million 2002 civil settlement involving ten plaintiffs. Died in 1991.
Fr. Patrick J. Callanan
Ordained: 1952
Diocese: Diocese of Tucson AZ
Active between 1952 and 1964. Accused in 2002 of having abused minors. Also worked in Globe, AZ; Nogales; Patagonia; and Phoenix. Died in 1975.
Fr. Carlos B. Cocio
Ordained: 1981
Diocese: Diocese of Tucson AZ
Suspended from ministry in 1993 due to alleged sexual misconduct with an adult. Child sexual abuse allegation reported in 1989. Part of 2020 civil lawsuit involving multiple plaintiffs regarding alleged rape of teenage boy in 1980. Reportedly deceased.
Fr. Patrick J. Colleary
Ordained: 1974
Diocese: Diocese of Phoenix AZ
Allegedly abused 11-year-old boy in 1979 (reported in 2002). Arrested in 2002, but released due to statute of limitations. Later fled to Ireland. Indicted in 2003 for alleged incident back in the ‘70s involving boy. Named in civil settlement.
Fr. Jorge Washington Cordova Hernandez
Ordained: 1982
Diocese: Diocese of Tucson AZ
From Ecuador. Alleged to have abused two teenage girls from 1988 to 1991 while at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Yuma (reported in 2005). Indicted, but fled to Ecuador. Arrested in Spain in 2007. Died in 2018.
Fr. Adrian Cristobal
Ordained: 1989
Diocese: Diocese of Phoenix AZ
From Guam. Found guilty by Vatican of child sexual abuse; later appealed decision. Sued by four men in Guam alleging abuse occurring from 1995 to 2013. No known allegations in Phoenix. Faculties limited in 2018. Current whereabouts unknown.
Deacon Ron DeChant
Diocese: Diocese of Tucson AZ
Worked as a deacon at St. Francis de Sales Parish in Tucson in 1981-1984. Arrested in 1984 on allegations of sexual misconduct with minor; further details not publicly known. Died in 1984.
Fr. John P. Doran
Ordained: 1945
Diocese: Diocese of Tucson AZ
At least two allegations dating to the 1960s, possibly in Phoenix. Named in two 2020 lawsuits for allegedly abusing two boys in the 1970s. Named in at least one other civil suit. Retired in 1990. Died in 1997.
Fr. George M. Dyke
Ordained: 1946
Diocese: Diocese of Tucson AZ
Former Dean. Placed on leave in 1965 and laicized (at his request) in 1968. Linked to several Catholic dioceses in the area. Mentioned in 2003 Tucson diocese report as having been named in credible accusations of child sexual abuse. Died in 1971.
Fr. Laurence A. Florez
Ordained: 1959
Diocese: Diocese of Phoenix AZ
Originally ordained for the Diocese of Gallup. Sued in 1993 by two men alleging abuse years earlier. Had already left priesthood when civil lawsuit was filed. Also active in Flagstaff, Kingman, Holbrook, Sedona, and Tempe, AZ, as well as New Mexico. Died in 2002.
Fr. Dale J. Fushek
Ordained: 1978
Diocese: Diocese of Phoenix AZ
Former Vicar General. Settled suits in 2002 and 2006. Criminal charges filed in 2005 for alleged abuse of five minors from 1985 to 1994. Excommunicated in 2008. Laicization announced in 2010. Pled guilty to criminal charge in 2010 and sentenced to probation.
Fr. John Maurice Giandelone
Ordained: 1978
Diocese: Diocese of Phoenix AZ
Arrested in 1984. Pled guilty in 1985 to attempted sexual misconduct with a minor; convicted again in 2003. Laicized in 1992. Named in civil suits in 1993, 2003, and 2004. Listed on national Sex Offender Registry. Reported to be living in Florida as of 2010. Has reportedly left priesthood.
Fr. Charles Gielow
Ordained: 1948
Diocese: Diocese of Phoenix AZ
Allegedly involved in sexual abuse of a minor in the late 1970s (reported in 2014). Active at Sacred Heart Parish in Prescott in 1960-1966, as well as Los Angeles and San Marcos, TX. Died in 1980.
Fr. Robert A. Gluch
Ordained: 1964
Diocese: Diocese of Tucson AZ
Multiple lawsuits in Arizona and California. Allegedly abused 13-year-old boy in 1965. Part of Tucson settlement involving multiple clergy members. Also named in federal civil suit in 2020 for abuse of altar boy in 1978. At least nine victims. Died in 1993.
Fr. Harold P. Graf
Ordained: 1968
Diocese: Diocese of Phoenix AZ
Suspended in 2002 for sexual misconduct involving a minor; incident may have been reported to diocese as early as 1974. Was active in nine parishes. Reportedly has been permanently barred from the ministry.
Fr. Gavin Griffith
Diocese: Diocese of Phoenix AZ
Allegedly involved in sexual abuse of minors from 1979 to 1985 (reported in 1987). Was affiliated during this time with the Franciscan Renewal Center in Scottsdale. Also active in California and Missouri. Died in 2017.
Fr. Juan Guillen
Ordained: 1974
Diocese: Diocese of Tucson AZ
In 2003, pled guilty to sex abuse of three boys. Sentenced to ten years in prison but released in 2011; later violated his probation. Sued at least four times. Also active in Monterey, CA. Removed from priesthood in 2005. Also mentioned in large 2005-2006 settlements involving multiple priests. Settlement in 2009 for $1.2 million.
Fr. Joseph John Henn
Ordained: 1978
Diocese: Diocese of Phoenix AZ
Affiliated with Salvatorian Fathers and Brothers / Society of the Divine Savior (SDS). Sued in 2003. Also indicted by a grand jury that same year on thirteen counts of molesting three boys from 1979 to 1981. Arrested in Rome in 2005; fled before he could be extradited. Settlement in 2006. Removed from priesthood in 2006. Arrested in Italy in 2019 and extradited to Arizona on charges of child sexual abuse. Sued again in 2020.
Fr. Edward Henriques
Diocese: Diocese of Phoenix AZ
Sued in 2008 for participating with another man in alleged abuse of 6-year-old girl in 1964; incident is said to have occurred in Santa Barbara, CA. Left priesthood sometime in the ‘60s. Accused of other incidents involving sexual abuse of a minor dating back to 1949 (reported that year) and 1963 (reported in 2005). Also active in Laveen, AZ (beginning in 1949) and Stockton, CA (1958-1960). Reportedly deceased.
Fr. Jose Hurtado
Diocese: Diocese of Phoenix AZ
Named in one civil lawsuit (2006). Died in 1981.
Fr. Charles Knapp
Ordained: 1963
Diocese: Diocese of Tucson AZ
Named (2021) in lawsuit filed against the Diocese of Tucson, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, and St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo, CA, alleging abuse of a 5-year-old girl back in the ‘70s. Allegedly abused another girl at around the same time. Suspended from diocese in 2019, but review board later recommended his return to ministry.
Fr. Sung Lam
Ordained: 1966
Diocese: Diocese of Phoenix AZ
From Cambodia. One accusation was made in 1993, alleging “lewd and lascivious acts,” but was not prosecuted. Reportedly left the Phoenix area in 1994.
Fr. Karl LeClaire
Ordained: 1986
Diocese: Diocese of Phoenix AZ
Former principal of parish grade school. Placed on leave in 2001. Sued in 2002 by a man alleging abuse over period of seven years that began at age 13. Indicted in 2003. Pled guilty in 2004. Sentenced in 2005 to one year in jail and three years’ probation. Settlement in 2006 over abuse that allegedly occurred in 1993. Laicized in 2017.
Fr. Mark Allen Lehman
Ordained: 1988
Diocese: Diocese of Phoenix AZ
Placed on leave in 1990 for alleged sexual misconduct with two seventh-grade girls at the school where he taught. Served ten years in prison (1992-2002) for fondling a young girl. Sentenced to lifetime parole for abuse of three other girls and one boy. Placed on Arizona sex offender registry. Sued in 2005 for alleged abuse of a minor in 1985; settled in 2006. Laicized in 2006. Died in 2018.
Fr. Joseph Marcel Lessard
Ordained: 1980
Diocese: Diocese of Phoenix AZ
Confessed in 1986 to sexual abuse of a 14-year-old boy. After plea bargain that reduced felony charges to misdemeanors, he was sentenced to three years’ probation and a fine of $100. Removed from ministry by Phoenix diocese in 2002. Also active in Rockford, IL diocese (removed in 2001). Civil lawsuit settled in 2006. Was reportedly living in Thailand as of 2006.
Fr. Mark A. Liening
Ordained: 1941
Diocese: Diocese of Phoenix AZ
Allegedly abused a minor in 1943-44 (reported in 2007) while at St. Mary’s in Phoenix. Also active in Oakland, San Diego, Fresno, and Las Cruces. Surname has also been spelled “Leining.” Died in 1985.
Fr. Jorge Ortiz Lopez
Ordained: 1975
Diocese: Diocese of Phoenix AZ
Affiliated with the Franciscan Friars (OFM). Sued in 1994 by man alleging abuse that occurred while an altar boy at Sacred Heart in Prescott in 1975. Lopez reportedly admitted to police at the time that he had committed the abuse, in which victim, a minor, was intoxicated. Also active in the Oakland and Fresno, CA dioceses. There is another allegation of sexual abuse of a minor occurring 1975-76 (reported in 1992). Included in Diocese of Fresno’s list of credibly accused clergy members. Died in 2004.
Fr. Saul Madrid
Ordained: 1985
Diocese: Diocese of Phoenix AZ
Originally from Mexico. Sued in 2003 by man alleging sexual abuse in 1987, involving the use of drugs, when victim was a minor. Victim also claimed that archdiocese officials pressured him into declining to sue or report incident at the time. Settled civil lawsuit in 2005. Underwent treatment at the Paraclete Center in 1988. Resigned from ministry in 2002.
Fr. Fernando L. Manzo
Ordained: 1983
Diocese: Diocese of Tucson AZ
Placed on administrative leave in 2003. Sued in 2004 by his nephew, who alleged abuse occurring over period of four years beginning at age eight. Some incidents of abuse allegedly took place at San Felipe De Jesus Parish in Nogales. Several other incidents allegedly occurred with other minors during the ’90s. Reportedly fled to Mexico.
Fr. Francis Miller
Ordained: 1949
Diocese: Diocese of Tucson AZ
Active at St. Margaret Mary parish in Tucson diocese from 1955 to 1963. Was suspended from the ministry. Reported to be living in a retirement facility, managed by Discalced Carmelites, as of 2005. A 2003 report from the Catholic Diocese of Tucson lists him among Arizona priests named in “credible accusations” of child sexual abuse.
Fr. Michael Minogue
Ordained: 1981
Diocese: Diocese of Phoenix AZ
Suspended in 2005 after allegations surfaced that he sexually harrassed young man at Our Lady of Lourdes/Prince of Peace in Sun City West. Was reinstated in 2007. Reportedly retired.
Deacon Ray Miranda
Diocese: Diocese of Tucson AZ
Active at St. Andrew the Apostle in Sierra Vista in 1982-83. Suspended from the ministry in 1983. Named in 2003, along with five other individuals, by Diocese of Tucson Sexual Misconduct Review Board as the subject of credible allegations of child sexual abuse.
Fr. Harry R. Morgan
Ordained: 1953
Diocese: Diocese of Phoenix AZ
Originally ordained for the Diocese of Gallup. Arrested in 1975 on charges of abusing 9-year-old boy at Church of the Ascension in Fountain Hills. Pled no contest and sentenced to ten years’ probation. Later reassigned to parish in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Died in 1995.
Bishop Thomas J. O’Brien
Ordained: 1961
Diocese: Diocese of Phoenix AZ
Active in Phoenix from 1982 to 2003. Admitted in 2003 to covering up sexual abuse committed by Arizona priests. Also charged in hit-and-run auto accident that resulted in fatality. Resigned from ministry. Convicted in 2004 and given probation plus community service. Sued in 2016 for allegedly abusing boy at St. Aquinas in Litchfield and St. Vincent de Paul in Phoenix from 1977 to 1982; O’Brien denied these accusations. Died in 2018.
Fr. John A. Oliver
Ordained: 1952
Diocese: Diocese of Tucson AZ
Assignments included Mesa, Tucson, Douglas, Payson, Yuma, Patagonia, Nogales, and Pearce-Sunsites. Allegedly abused a 14-year-old male hitchhiker in 1967 after giving him alcohol. Reportedly pled guilty to the incident and given six or seven years’ probation. Retired in 2000. Suspended from ministry in 2002. Suspected to have been involved in other incidents covered up by diocese. Now deceased.
Deacon Maxwell Rollin Pelton
Diocese: Diocese of Phoenix AZ
Active as deacon from 1991 to 2000 at Immaculate Conception Church in Cottonwood. Retired in 2000. Arrested in 2009 on charges of molesting 10-year-old boy over period of several months. Sued in 2010. Died in 2010.
Fr. Henry Perez
Ordained: 1973
Diocese: Diocese of Phoenix AZ
Active at the Diocese of Phoenix in 1976-84 and later at the Diocese of Orange beginning in 1989. Placed on leave in 1991 after allegations of sex abuse surfaced during his assignment in Arizona. Two civil lawsuits against him in 1993. Alleged to have taken boys on trips from Arizona to California where they were given drugs and pressured into participating in orgies with other priests. Left priesthood and became an “Anglican Catholic priest” in Orange County, where he was responsible for overseeing thirty minors. Sued twice more in 2003. Indicted in 2003 on charges of abusing two minors in ‘70s and early ‘80s. Died in 2003 shortly after charges were filed against him.
Fr. George Pirrung
Ordained: 1954
Diocese: Diocese of Tucson AZ
Served at Diocese of Phoenix from 1969 to 1997. Allegedly molested boy in the mid ‘50s while at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Parish in Miami, AZ (reported in 2003). Suspended by diocese in 2003. Two additional allegations made in 1966 involving boys. Reportedly no action was taken at the time these allegations were originally made. The Diocese of Tucson ruled in 2003 that these were all credible accusations. Died in 2016.
Fr. Thomas Patrick Purcell
Ordained: 1972
Diocese: Diocese of Tucson AZ
Active in Missouri, Illinois, Texas, California, and Arizona. Active as a Marianist, Province of St. Louis, beginning in 1959. Left the Marianist Order in 1990 and joined the Diocese of Fresno. Suspended from ministry in 1996. Convicted in 2003 of sexually abusing 13-year-old girl in 1982 and 1983. Sentenced to nine-and-a-half years. Has been suspended from ministry.
Fr. Paul J. Ranft
Ordained: 1940
Diocese: Diocese of Tucson AZ
Sued in 2004 by woman alleging abuse by seven priests, including Ranft, at Immaculate Heart Academy in 1962-1965. Died in 2001. Reportedly suffered from severe asthma.
Bishop James S. Rausch
Ordained: 1956
Diocese: Diocese of Phoenix AZ
Former Secretary General of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB). Was bishop of the Phoenix diocese from 1977 to 1981. Accused in 2001 of having had a sexual relationship with 17-year-old male who also became involved with Robert Trupia. Died in 1981.
Fr. Claudio Riol
Ordained: 1930
Diocese: Diocese of Tucson AZ
From Peru. Active in the Diocese of Tucson from 1960 to 1966. Has been named by the Diocese as among those Arizona priests accused credibly of committing sexual abuse. Sued in 2005 for alleged abuse at Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary convent in Tucson. Now deceased.
Sr. Rosaria Riter
Diocese: Diocese of Tucson AZ
Affiliated with the Benedictine Sisters of Pontifical Jurisdiction (OSB). Accused of sexual misconduct involving a male minor while at Sacred Heart School in Tucson sometime while she was employed on faculty there (1949 to 1953). Allegations were reported to the police at the time. In 2003, the Diocese determined that the allegations were credible. Died in 1996.
Fr. Walter F. Rosensweig
Ordained: 1953
Diocese: Diocese of Tucson AZ
Former Chancellor. Active at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Nogales from 1972 to 1996. Sued in 1996 by man for alleged abuse that occurred when victim was a teenager back in 1981. Settlement in 1997. Placed on leave in 1996. Retired in 2001. Removed from ministry in 2002. Sued again in 2003. Also named (2020) in federal lawsuit against the Diocese of Tucson and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
Fr. Charles Rourke
Ordained: 1958
Diocese: Diocese of Tucson AZ
Placed on leave of absence in 1969-1973 and again in 1975-1981. Also active in Archdiocese of Santa Fe. Suspended from ministry in 1984 due to medical issues related to alcoholism. Committed suicide in 1993 while under investigation for alleged sexual abuse of minors in incidents that took place in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Civil lawsuit settlement in 2006.
Fr. Jude Ruetten
Ordained: 1956
Diocese: Diocese of Phoenix AZ
Also known as Charles Ruetten. Alleged to have committed sexual abuse of a minor in 1963 (reported in 1993). Active in Stockton, CA (1956-59); Salem, OR (1959-60);
St. John’s in Komatke (1960-63); and Pueblo, CO (1964). Left religious order in 1967.
Fr. Marcel Salinas
Ordained: 1954
Diocese: Diocese of Phoenix AZ
Former director at Diocese of Phoenix Cursillo. Named in one civil lawsuit for alleged abuse that occurred during his time as pastor at Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Mesa. Died in 1997.
Fr. Julian Sanz
Ordained: 1977
Diocese: Diocese of Tucson AZ
From Spain. Active in the Tucson diocese beginning in 1980. Placed on leave in 2002 following sexual abuse accusations made by a minor. A second accuser claimed to have been molested at age 11 by Sanz in 1982. Arrested in 2003 and pled no contest. Sentenced to five years in prison. Sued in 2004 by victim in criminal case. Removed from the priesthood in 2010.
Fr. Clemens M. Schlueter
Ordained: 1958
Diocese: Diocese of Tucson AZ
Surname also spelled “Schleuter.” Originally active at the Diocese of Steubenville, Ohio. In 1961 moved to the Diocese of Tucson. Retired in 1990. Suspended from the ministry in 1997 (but not publicly announced until 2002) due to report of sexual abuse that allegedly occurred in the ‘60s. Died in 2009.
Deacon Byron Wayne Schoolcraft
Diocese: Diocese of Tucson AZ
Served at Our Mother of Sorrows Parish in Tucson, AZ from 1981 to 1984. Has been suspended from duties; no additional information is publicly available.
Fr. Wilputte Alanson Sherwood
Ordained: 1975
Diocese: Diocese of Phoenix AZ
Convicted in 1993 on charge of attempted sexual conduct with a male minor in 1987 while at St. Benedict’s in Chandler, AZ. Served ten years in prison, then went to Arizona State Hospital for treatment as a sex offender. Given lifetime probation. Was also arrested in 1984 and 1986 on charges of public misdemeanor indecent exposure at adult bookstores. Arrested again in 2008. Reportedly had over 1,800 male sexual partners, 22 of them minors. He videotaped many of his sexual encounters. Died in 2017.
Fr. James A. Sinnerud
Ordained: 1972
Diocese: Diocese of Phoenix AZ
Former teacher at Creighton Prep in Omaha, Nebraska; retired in 2008 but remained involved with school activities. Suspended in 2018 after allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced dating from 1987-2008. Sued in 2020 by man alleging abuse that occurred at Brophy Prep, where Sinnerud taught from 1980 to 1987.
Fr. John D. Spaulding
Ordained: 1971
Diocese: Diocese of Phoenix AZ
Suspended and placed on administrative leave in 2011 due to allegations of sexual misconduct with a minor back in 1984-85 while at St. Maria Goretti in Scottsdale, AZ. Allegations found credible by review board but no further investigation was made because individual was deceased. Several other alleged victims came forward shortly afterward. Indicted in 2020 on accusations of having abused two boys from 2003 to 2007 at St. Gabriel’s in Phoenix and St. Timothy’s in Mesa. Died in 2020, weeks after indictment.
Seminarian Phillip G. Speers
Diocese: Diocese of Tucson AZ
Former teacher at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School in Yuma, AZ. Accused of sexually abusing five second-grade girls in 1999 and 2000. Also charged with possessing child pornography. Settlement in 2003 for $1.8 million. Originally convicted in 2002 (for child porn) and 2003 (for child molestation), but these were overturned by Arizona appeals courts. Found guilty in 2007 retrial on two counts of child molestation and sentenced to 34 years in prison. Child pornography charges were dropped.
Fr. Steven Gerard Stencil
Ordained: 1981
Diocese: Diocese of Tucson AZ
Was head of diocesan program for boys interested in becoming priests (1986-94) and Vocations Director of Tucson diocese (late ’80s). Accused of groping 17-year-old boy at a 1999 pool party (reported in 2000). No charges were brought. In 2001, he was placed on leave for violating diocese policy regarding overnight contact with minors. Reportedly removed from the priesthood in 2011.
Fr. Floyd G. Stromberg
Ordained: 1959
Diocese: Diocese of Tucson AZ
Accusations surfaced in 2002 about alleged sexual misconduct with minors. Retired in 2002 and placed on leave shortly afterward. Had admitted to one allegation, dating from 1966. Sued in 2005 along with fifteen other defendants for alleged abuse of a girl at Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary convent in 1954-1968. Sued again in 2006 by man alleging abuse at the convent. Died in 2007.
Br. Richard Allen Suttle
Diocese: Diocese of Phoenix AZ
Former teacher, coach, and principal at Sacred Heart school in Prescott. Allegedly abused minor in 1982-83 while at Sacred Heart (reported in 2008). Allegations ruled credible by Claretians Orders. Also active at Bourgade Catholic High School in Phoenix (1988-1998), Immaculate Heart of Mary parish in San Antonio (2008), Vietnam (2002), East Nigeria (2010), and Buenos Aires (2013). Has denied allegations.
Fr. Michael J. Teta
Ordained: 1974
Diocese: Diocese of Tucson AZ
Allegedly committed abuse while assigned to Tucson diocese in 1978-80. Placed on leave in 1991. Named in Tucson diocese settlement in 2002. Sued again in 2004 and 2021. Laicized in 2004. Also active in Trenton and Bound Brook, NJ.
Fr. James Thompson
Diocese: Diocese of Tucson AZ
Active at St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Phoenix in 1964-65. Appears on the Diocese of Tucson’s list of priests who have been named in credible accusations of child sexual abuse; details about allegations not publicly known. Died in 1982.
Fr. Robert C. Trupia
Ordained: 1973
Diocese: Diocese of Tucson AZ
Former Judicial Vicar (1984-1992). Reportedly nicknamed “Chicken Hawk” by fellow priests in diocese. Suspended in 1992. Alleged to have attempted to blackmail diocese in 1992 about sexual misconduct of other priests. Named in multiple civil lawsuits filed in 1994-2002 for alleged abuse of boys. Part of large Tucson diocese settlement of 2002. Arrested in 2001, but multiple charges dismissed due to statute of limitations. Laicized in 2004.
Fr. Gary E. Underwood
Ordained: 1980
Diocese: Diocese of Tucson AZ
Active at St. Odilia’s Catholic Church from 1982 to 1988. Former Air Force chaplain in Louisiana. Indicted in 2006 on eight counts of sexually abusing two boys while at St. Odilia’s. Also indicted in 2007 for abuse of another minor in 1985-1986. Pled guilty in 2008 and sentenced to ten years in prison as well as lifetime probation. Probation later reduced to three years.
Fr. Kenneth A. Van de Ven
Ordained: 1971
Diocese: Diocese of Phoenix AZ
Suspended from ministry in 2005 after allegations surfaced of sexual harassment involving young male employed at Our Lady of Lourdes/Prince of Peace in Sun City West. Invited to return to diocese in 2007, but he refused.
Fr. Donald R. Verhagen
Ordained: 1945
Diocese: Diocese of Phoenix AZ
Affiliated with Salvatorian Fathers and Brothers / Society of the Divine Savior (SDS). Sued in 2011 for alleged sexual abuse of a minor female in late ‘70s or early ‘80s while at St. Mark’s in Phoenix. Died in 2001.
Fr. John Willliam Vovko
Ordained: 1968
Diocese: Diocese of Phoenix AZ
Active in Arizona beginning in 1986; originally from Cleveland. Former teacher at Mesa High School. Convicted in 1990 for attempted sexual abuse of two-year-old boy and sentenced to a year in jail. Also given lifetime probation. Reportedly deceased.
Fr. Richard Zamorano
Ordained: 1993
Diocese: Diocese of Tucson AZ
Originally affiliated with the Diocese of El Paso. Moved to Tucson in 2003 and taught at Salpointe Catholic High School. Reportedly removed from ministry by the Tucson diocese in 2012 after allegedly sexually abusing a mentally disabled adult male at a motel. No charges were filed. Sued in 2014. Reportedly absent on leave.
Br. Douglas Zlatis
Diocese: Diocese of Phoenix AZ
School administrator, active beginning in 1962, who was employed in Illinois, Peru, New York, Hawaii, and Washington. Member of the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers. Sued in 2014 for alleged abuse of a student in 1985 during tenure in Hawaii. A second lawsuit (2016) accused him of abusing another student there in 1982. Died in 2009.
Get Help with Your Arizona Clergy Abuse Case
Saunders & Walker, P.A., provides legal assistance to individuals from all over the country who have been sexually abused by members of the Catholic clergy. If you or someone you know has been victimized by priest abuse in Arizona, please contact our office as soon as possible. It may be possible to obtain financial compensation, even if the offending individual is no longer living.
You can request a free consultation online or by calling Saunders & Walker at (727) 579-4500. Communications with our firm will be kept confidential.