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San Jose Priest Abuse List
A number of San Jose priest abuse cases have been filed in recent years. Some of these priests accused of molesting children are named in the Diocese of San Jose Priest Abuse List, and others have reached the database of credibly accused religious figures through survivors who came forward and the news agencies that published their stories.
The San Jose priest abuse list contains individuals who have faced criminal charges, clergy abuse lawsuits, or been listed by their Diocese as having credible accusations made against them. These individuals should be considered innocent until proven guilty.
15 Priests Accused of Sexually Abusing Children in San Jose
In an article published in October of 2018, Mercury News released information about 15 Catholic Church leaders who were accused of sexual abuse or convicted of sexual misconduct with minors.1 Some of these were identified by the Diocese of San Jose, while others were reported to the Archdiocese of San Francisco.
San Jose Priests Accused of Sexually Abusing Children
This is the current list of 22 priests accused of abuse in San Jose, Santa Clara County, Marin County, and the Bay Area with details about the allegations, lawsuits, settlements, or criminal convictions of each2:
- Thomas Bettencourt. Allegedly engaged in child sex abuse while working at St. Justin Parish in 1982. Accused in 1997, he was included in the Diocese of San Jose’s Priest Abuse List in 2018. Deceased as of 1990.
- Edward Thomas Burke. Burke admitted to a superior of his religious order that he abused a vulnerable adult man at the Jesuit Center in Los Gatos. He was convicted and sentenced in 2002 to two years in prison. Lawsuits including claims against Burke were settled for $7.5 million. He died in 2009.
- Charles Leonard Connor. Also accused of abusing vulnerable men in Los Gatos, Connor may have been an abuser for 30 years or more. Pled no contest to charges in 2001. He was also part of the $7.5 million settlement in 2002. Deceased as of 2011.
- Joseph Dondero. Named as credibly accused in the 2018 Diocese list, he allegedly abused a child between 1961 and 1965, reported in 2003 and 2005.
- Raymond V. Dunn. Listed as accused in the Jesuits West Province list in 2018, based on allegations of sexual abuse of a minor in 2002. Dunn passed away in 2012.
- William C. Farrington. Worked at Jesuit High in Sacramento from 1976 until 1987, when he was removed following two reports of misconduct. Numerous students named him as an abuser, and a lawsuit was filed by one victim in 2020.
- Don D. Flickinger. Named in a civil suit filed in 2011, Flickinger was accused of abusing a 13-year-old boy in San Jose in 2001. Statements were included from witnesses and other alleged victims, and other reports were filed in 2002, 2005, and 2006. Three lawsuits were filed and all settled in 2013.
- Robert A. Gray. Charged with sexually abusing teenage boys at St. Justin’s in 1991-1993. Two sets of charges were dismissed, and he was convicted for one offense, spending 160 days in jail and 5 years on probation. Placed on permanent leave in 2002.
- Arthur Harrison. Charged in Marin County in 2003 for sexual abuse of a 10-year-old. This case was dismissed in 2003. Also accused of molesting two girls in San Jose in 1988, but was not charged. Settled two lawsuits in 2005, part of a $21.2 million settlement for claims against five priests of the San Francisco Archdiocese. Deceased as of 2006.
- Laurent Largente. Accused in 1994 of sexual misconduct with a child while serving at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in 1980-1983. Banned from the priesthood in 2002, deceased as of 2015.
- Alexander C. Larkin. Accused of abusing two minors between 1975-1980 in Palo Alto. He was also accused of abuse in 1981 at St. William’s. A lawsuit was settled in 2006, no criminal charges were filed. He was banned from the ministry in 2009.
- Angel Crisostomo Mariano. Convicted in 1998 of child molestation and sentenced to 5 months in jail. He was reprimanded by Jesuit leaders at least 5 years before, and moved frequently. Listed on the Diocese list in 2018 and banned from the ministry in 1998.
- John Rodrigues Moniz. Convicted of lewd conduct with a young girl in 1995, he was sentenced to 3 years probation and ordered to pay for medical expenses and psychological care.
- George Moss. Accused of sexual misconduct in 1963-1976 and included in the Diocese list in 2018. At least three reports were filed. Deceased as of 1986.
- Leonel C. Noia. Pled no contest to a felony charge regarding abuse of two boys in 1976. Returned to the ministry in 1978, facing two new allegations in 2002, and a civil suit in 2003. Settled both claims as part of a $21.2 million settlement. Deceased as of 2005.
- Joseph P. Nu’uanu. Included on a 2020 list of the Marianist religious order, which stated he was found to have sexually abused a minor. He worked in California and Hawaii, and died in 2013.
- Joseph T. Pritchard. Accused of abusing more than 19 children from 1956 to the late 1970s. Faced 23 lawsuits, many of which were settled. Ten claims were part of the $21.2 million settlement involving five other priests, and 23 more claims were part of a $16 million settlement in 2005. Died in 1988.
- Noel Senevirante. Reportedly sexually abused a child in San Jose in 1971-1972, the incident was reported in 2002. He was banned from the ministry in 2002 and died in 2009.
- Edward M. Stretch. Accused of sexual abuse of a minor which was reported in 2012. He is named in the Diocese official list, working in San Jose, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles during his active ministry. Deceased as of 1970.
- Phil Sunseri. Reports were filed of sexual abuse of children in 1987 and 2018 while he was working at St. Christopher’s and Holy Family. Sunseri denied the allegations and was dismissed from the order. Died in 1991.
- Hernan Toro. Convicted of sexually abusing a child in 1983, he is a registered sex offender. Jailed in 2017 for accusations of molestation of two girls. A lawsuit was filed against him in 2019.
- Benedict Van der Putten. A member of an order not recognized by the Roman Catholic Church, the Society of St. Pius X. He was accused of sexually abusing a teen in 2002 at the Retreat House in Los Gatos. He reportedly admitted to molesting a girl in Europe, and moved to Hawaii for a time. He may now reside in Oklahoma.
Finding Legal Guidance After Clergy Sexual Abuse
It is often difficult for victims and survivors to come forward to report sexual abuse by a member of the clergy. Recent changes to the law in California, New York, and other states might allow you to file a lawsuit or even criminal charges, even if the statute of limitations had previously expired.
Contact our experienced clergy abuse legal team at Saunders & Walker, P.A., for a no-obligation consultation to review your legal options. If you or a loved one has been abused by a priest or member of the clergy, we are ready to advocate for your rights, in a confidential and compassionate environment.
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