Colorado Priest Abuse

Over the last few decades, a number of alarming revelations have emerged regarding a pattern of sexual abuse perpetrated by priests and other authority figures within the U.S. Catholic Church. In 2002, reporters at The Boston Globe exposed a long-standing conspiracy within local dioceses to cover up numerous sexual abuse incidents committed by clergy in the area. These revelations kicked off a sex abuse scandal that rapidly expanded to other regions of the U.S., including the state of Colorado.

In October 2019, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser released a report revealing that 43 Catholic clergy in the state have been credibly accused of abusing at least 166 children since 1950. A year after the report, all three Catholic dioceses active in the state—Denver, Pueblo, and Colorado Springs—collectively agreed to pay $6.68 million to 73 victims of sexual abuse by priests.

Literally dozens of Catholic priests working in Colorado have been accused or convicted of sexual abuse offenses, and the list keeps growing as newly identified victims continue to come forth.

Saunders & Walker P.A. provides legal assistance to Colorado residents who have been sexually abused by Catholic clergy. Keep reading for more information on sex abuse law in Colorado and how we can help with your case.

Colorado Law on Sexual Abuse

In 2021, the State of Colorado passed two bills that dramatically changed the law that applies to victims of childhood sexual assault: Senate Bill 73 (SB 73) and Senate Bill 88 (SB 88).

• Senate Bill 73 (SB 73) – Abolished the statute of limitations for civil sexual assault cases involving felony or Class 1 misdemeanor offenses.
• Senate Bill 88 (SB 88) – “The Child Sexual Abuse Accountability Act,” which created a three-year “lookback window” for many civil sexual abuse cases that had expired due to the old statute of limitations.

What does all this mean for victims of child sex abuse in Colorado? The new laws broaden their right to pursue a civil claim against a perpetrator—but there are still limitations to this right.

Colorado’s Statute of Limitations for Civil Cases

Prior to SB 73, the State of Colorado had a six-year statute of limitations (SOL) for child sexual abuse. This meant that a victim had only six years after their 18th birthday to sue an abuser. This changed with SB 73, which went into effect on January 1, 2022. Victims of childhood sexual abuse now have an unlimited amount of time to sue an offender. The new law applies to any sexual misconduct incident that occurred on or after January 1, 2022, as well as any future incidents.

In addition, if a sex abuse incident occurred prior to January 1, 2022, but within the previously recognized six-year SOL, the victim now has an unlimited amount of time to file a civil suit.

But what about older incidents of child sexual abuse? What rights do victims have if they were abused decades ago? SB 73 does not apply to sex abuse cases that had expired under the old statute of limitations. Any sex abuse claim that was barred due to the SOL under the old law cannot be revived under SB 73—but there is hope for victims exploited years ago.

This is where SB 88, the Child Sexual Abuse Accountability Act, comes into the picture. It created a “lookback window” that for a limited time allows certain victims to file a civil suit even where the previous statute of limitations barred such action.

The Lookback Window in Colorado

The lookback window established by SB 88 is active from January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2024, during which time a civil lawsuit can be filed for an old child sexual misconduct incident or incidents that occurred no earlier than January 1, 1960.

An individual who was victimized as a minor in a sexual misconduct incident that happened years ago (e.g., 1982) has until the last day of 2024 to file a lawsuit. The incident in question must have occurred any time between January 1, 1960 and January 1, 2022. If the incident took place prior to 1960, a lawsuit cannot be filed.

Under SB 88, these civil suits can be filed against the individual offender(s) as well as the organization they were affiliated with. In other words, legal action can be taken even if the perpetrator is deceased—this is, in fact, quite common in clergy abuse cases involving incidents that took place many years ago. In cases where the organization is sued, it is necessary to prove that the entity knew, or reasonably should have known, that the offending individual posed a risk to youth under its care.

Colorado’s Statute of Limitations for Criminal Cases

There is no statute of limitations for felony and Class 1 misdemeanor criminal charges in child sex abuse cases, including human trafficking.

Contact Saunders & Walker Today

Saunders & Walker P.A. represents individuals in Colorado, as well those located in other areas of the U.S., who have been sexually abused by a priest or another person affiliated with the Catholic Church. We have helped many survivors of sexual abuse obtain financial compensation for their suffering, and our team is always willing to hear from persons who have been victimized by a priest. Even if the perpetrator is deceased, it is still possible to launch a legal action against the diocese with whom the individual was associated.

If you or someone close to you has been victimized by priest abuse in Colorado, please call our office at (727) 579-4500 for a free consultation. Communications with our firm are kept strictly confidential.

Note on the List of Priests Accused of Abuse in Colorado

The names of accused individuals listed on this page were taken from the Colorado section of bishop-accountability.org, a website that maintains a national database of priests and other persons affiliated with the Catholic Church who are suspected or convicted of child sexual abuse. Additional details about these Colorado priests accused of abuse can be found by visiting the link posted above.

These accused individuals are or have been affiliated with one or more of the Catholic dioceses operating in the state of Colorado: the Archdiocese of Denver, the Diocese of Pueblo, and the Diocese of Colorado Springs.

It is important to understand that persons listed here are considered innocent unless convicted in a court of law. Accusations and settlements should not be construed as proof of guilt.

Fr. Leonard A. Abercrombie
Ordained: 1946
Status: Settled
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Fr. Robert Banigan
Ordained: 1941
Status: Accused
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Fr. Thomas Patrick Barry
Ordained: 1939
Status: Sued
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Fr. Prosper Bemunuge
Status: Settled
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Fr. John R. Beno
Ordained: 1959
Status: Accused
Diocese: Diocese of Pueblo CO

Fr. Delbert F. Blong
Ordained: 1952
Status: Settled
Diocese: Diocese of Pueblo CO

Fr. Leo Bonfadini
Ordained: 1974
Status: Accused
Diocese: Diocese of Pueblo CO

Fr. Joseph J. Bosetti
Ordained: 1918
Status: Accused
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Fr. Charles C. Brown
Ordained: 1958
Status: Accused
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Fr. Walter P. Buetzler
Ordained: 1942
Status: Accused
Diocese: Diocese of Pueblo CO

Fr. Andrew A. Burke
Ordained: 1969
Status: Settled
Diocese: Diocese of Pueblo CO

Fr. Rafael Jairo Calle
Status: Accused
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Seminarian Wilfred Laurent Carignan
Status: Convicted
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Fr. Bernard J. Casper
Ordained: 1955
Status: Sued
Diocese: Diocese of Pueblo CO

Fr. Meinrad Richard Chung
Ordained: 1982
Status: Sued
Diocese: Diocese of Pueblo CO

Seminarian Mark A. Clark
Order: SJ
Status: Accused
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Fr. Bennett Colucci
Ordained: 1957
Status: Accused
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Fr. Dorino De Lazzer
Ordained: 1959
Status: Accused
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Fr. Michael C. DeScoise
Ordained: 1975
Status: Accused
Diocese: Diocese of Pueblo CO

Fr. Timothy Joseph Evans
Ordained: 1993
Status: Convicted
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Fr. Edward Fraczkowski
Ordained: 1939
Status: Accused
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Fr. Kenneth Q. Funk
Ordained: 1950
Status: Accused
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Fr. Lucas A. Galvan
Ordained: 1980
Status: Convicted
Diocese: Diocese of Pueblo CO

Fr. William Thomas Gleeson
Ordained: 1966
Status: Accused
Diocese: Diocese of Pueblo CO

Fr. Marshall Gourley
Ordained: 1982
Status: Sued
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Fr. William Groves
Ordained: 1980
Status: Convicted
Diocese: Diocese of Pueblo CO

Fr. Neil C. Hewitt
Ordained: 1962
Status: Accused
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Fr. John V. Holloway
Ordained: 1956
Status: Accused
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Fr. Marvin J. Kapushion
Ordained: 1956
Status: Accused
Diocese: Diocese of Pueblo CO

Fr. Daniel Kelleher
Status: Accused
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Fr. Gary L. Kennedy
Ordained: 1968
Status: Accused
Diocese: Diocese of Pueblo CO

Seminarian Thomas Kloppenborg
Ordained: 1991
Status: Accused
Diocese: Diocese of Colorado Springs CO

Fr. Richard James Kurtz
Ordained: 1977
Status: Convicted
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Fr. Michael Kurz
Ordained: 1975
Status: Settled
Diocese: Diocese of Pueblo CO

Fr. Conan Lee
Ordained: 1943
Status: Accused
Diocese: Diocese of Pueblo CO

Fr. Delisle Lemieux
Ordained: 1926
Status: Accused
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Fr. Daniel C. Maio
Ordained: 1966
Status: Settled
Diocese: Diocese of Pueblo CO

Fr. Charles Robert Manning
Ordained: 1997
Status: Acquitted
Diocese: Diocese of Colorado Springs CO

Fr. Philip Marin
Ordained: 1957
Status: Accused
Diocese: Diocese of Pueblo CO

Fr. John F. Martin
Status: Settled
Diocese: Diocese of Pueblo CO

Fr. William Martinez
Ordained: 1980
Status: Accused
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Fr. Mark N. Matson
Ordained: 1976
Status: Convicted
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Fr. John J. McGinn
Ordained: 1952
Status: Accused
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Fr. Maurice McInerney
Ordained: 1959
Status: Accused
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Fr. James S. Moreno
Ordained: 1976
Status: Sued
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Br. William C. Mueller
Status: Settled
Diocese: Diocese of Pueblo CO

Fr. Edward P. Murphy
Ordained: 1942
Status: Accused
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Fr. J. Bart Nadal
Ordained: 1947
Status: Accused
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Fr. Clifford A. Norman
Ordained: 1960
Status: Accused
Diocese: Diocese of Pueblo CO

Fr. John G. O’Flaherty
Ordained: 1942
Status: Sued
Diocese: Diocese of Pueblo CO

Fr. Patrick Henry O’Liddy
Ordained: 1990
Status: Convicted
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Fr. Michael J. O’Brien
Ordained: 2000
Status: Sued
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Fr. Francis A. Pettit
Ordained: 1937
Status: Accused
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Fr. James W. Rasby
Ordained: 1952
Status: Accused
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Fr. Joseph A. Reade
Ordained: 1954
Status: Settled
Diocese: Diocese of Pueblo CO

Fr. Gerald Duane Repola
Ordained: 1964
Status: Accused
Diocese: Diocese of Pueblo CO

Fr. Leonard Scezney
Ordained: 1985
Status: Accused
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Fr. John Harley Schmitt
Ordained: 1940
Status: Accused
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Fr. Lawrence Sievers
Ordained: 1969
Status: Accused
Diocese: Diocese of Pueblo CO

Fr. Gregory Smith
Ordained: 1922
Status: Settled
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Fr. Lawrence H. St. Peter
Ordained: 1959
Status: Settled
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Fr. John Francis Stein
Ordained: 1944
Status: Convicted
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Br. Barnabus Stelzner
Status: Sued
Diocese: Diocese of Pueblo CO

Fr. Melvin F. Thompson
Ordained: 1967
Status: Reinstated
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Fr. Carlos B. Trujillo
Ordained: 1976
Status: Accused
Diocese: Diocese of Pueblo CO

Fr. Joseph J. Walsh
Ordained: 1935
Status: Accused
Diocese: Diocese of Pueblo CO

Fr. George L. Weibel
Ordained: 1948
Status: Accused
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Fr. Robert Whipkey
Ordained: 1983
Status: Accused
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Fr. Harold Robert White
Ordained: 1960
Status: Settled
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Fr. Thomas Woerth
Ordained: 1966
Status: Accused
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO

Fr. Charles B. Woodrich
Ordained: 1953
Status: Accused
Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver CO