Catholic Clergy Abuse in North Carolina

Like many states across the country, clergy abuse in North Carolina is a historic problem that is gaining the attention of lawmakers. After the public release of lists of credibly accused priests by the Diocese of Charlotte and the Diocese of Raleigh, new legislation was introduced to expand the rights of survivors of sexual assualt and child sexual abuse.

New Sexual Assault Laws in North Carolina

North Carolina Senate Bill 199 (S199) was passed on November 7, 2019, to expand the rights of survivors to file lawsuits and pursue criminal prosecution against their abusers. Sometimes called the SAFE Child Act of 2019, this new law offers extended statutes of limitations and a lookback window for cases that were previously excluded based on former time limits.

What Is the North Carolina SAFE Child Act?

The SAFE Child Act of North Carolina (S199) provides these protections for victims¹:

Extends the legal deadline to file civil lawsuits against alleged abusers or accused clergy to age 28
Opened a 2-year lookback window for survivors to file civil lawsuits no matter how long ago the abuse occurred
Allows survivors 2 years to file a civil claim if an abuser was convicted of a criminal felony involving sexual assault
Extends the deadline for criminal prosecution of some misdemeanors involving abuse to 10 years
Expands the duty of individuals and organizations to report suspected child abuse
Increases protections against online predators who target children
Requires teachers and school employees to complete child sexual abuse and sex traffic prevention training
Strengthens existing sexual assault laws to clearly define scenarios where a victim has revoked their consent or become mentally incapacitated by drugs or alcohol

Statutes of Limitations on Clergy Sexual Abuse in North Carolina

These changes to the law have extended the statutes of limitations for seeking criminal prosecution or filing a civil lawsuit against an organization or priest credibly accused of child sexual abuse.

Criminal Prosecution

There is no statute of limitations for felony crimes in North Carolina. Crimes including the rape of a minor can be prosecuted no matter how long ago that crime occurred, as long as there is sufficient evidence. For misdemeanor sexual crimes, the SAFE Child Act extended the statute of limitations to 10 years.

Civil Lawsuits

In addition to the 2-year lookback window (closing December 31, 2021) that allowed survivors to file a lawsuit alleging abuse no matter how long ago that crime may have occurred, SAFE also extended the statute of limitations for filing a civil lawsuit from 21 to 28 years of age.

Lists of North Carolina Priests Accused of Sexual Abuse

The Charlotte Catholic Diocese covers western North Carolina, and the Raleigh Catholic Diocese covers the east. As you review this list of credibly accused priests in North Carolina, keep in mind that they are considered innocent until proven guilty. Most settlements made by the Diocese or individuals do not include an admission of guilt.

In cases of criminal conviction, those found guilty might spend years in prison. When settlements are reached by the organizations responsible for these clergy, they often cover multiple lawsuits in a blanket approach. Sometimes cases are quietly settled by independent organizations and are withdrawn from the legal system.

This list includes those on official Diocese lists as well as cases reported in the Charlotte Observer, records from the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police, and court records from Mecklenburg County and across the state.

Diocese of Charlotte Credibly Accused Priests List

There are 20 accused clergy members currently listed as credibly accused in the Diocese of Charlotte²:

Fr. Donald Philip Baker
Ordained: 1980
Status: Accused

Fr. Charles Jeffries Burton
Ordained: 1967
Status: Accused

Fr. Eugene D. Corbesero
Ordained: 1962
Status: Convicted

Fr. Aloysius Joseph D’Silva
Ordained: 1961
Status: Accused

Fr. Richard B. Farwell
Ordained: 1981
Status: Convicted

Fr. John Gallagher
Ordained: 1947
Status: Accused

Fr. P. Patrick Gavigan
Ordained: 1953
Status: Accused

Fr. Francis P. Gillespie
Ordained: 1972
Status: Sued for an incident at Our Lady of the Assumption in Charlotte

Fr. Patrick T. Hoare
Ordained: 2007
Status: Accused and placed on leave from St. Matthew in Charlotte

Fr. Adelbert Holmes
Ordained: 1963
Status: Accused

Fr. Donald J. Joyce
Ordained: 1958
Status: Settled

Seminarian John Brian Kaup
Status: Sued

Fr. Michael Joseph Kelleher
Ordained: 1953
Status: Sued

Fr. William J. Kuder
Ordained: 1933
Status: Accused

Fr. Peter Tan Van Le
Ordained: 1973
Status: Accused

Fr. Patrick F. Leonard
Ordained: 1996
Status: Accused

Fr. Damion Jacques Lynch
Ordained: 1991
Status: Settled

Fr. Donald F. Scales
Ordained: 1955
Status: Accused

Fr. Edward William Smith
Ordained: 1943
Status: Accused

Fr. Robert Yurgel
Ordained: 1996
Status: Convicted

Diocese of Raleigh Credibly Accused Priests List

There are currently 17 Catholic clergy members listed as credibly accused for the Diocese of Raleigh³:

Fr. Andre Anthony Corbin
Ordained: 1961
Status: Convicted

Fr. Peter Martin Denges
Ordained: 1927
Status: Accused

Fr. Hugh A. Dolan
Ordained: 1934
Status: Accused

Fr. Stephen M. Garrity
Ordained: 1970
Status: Accused

Fr. Giacomo Ghisalberti
Ordained: 1970
Status: Accused

Fr. Albert J. Gondek
Ordained: 1966
Status: Sued

Fr. Jaime Guzman
Ordained: Unknown
Status: Accused
*Might be the same Rev. Jaime Guzman Astaburuaga found guilty in Chile in 2012

Fr. Louis Hanneman
Ordained: Unknown
Status: Accused

Fr. John J. Hyland
Ordained: 1942
Status: Accused

Fr. James E. McSweeney
Ordained: 1950
Status: Settled

Fr. Kenneth R. Parker
Ordained: 1965
Status: Accused

Fr. Francis Andrew Perry, III
Ordained: 1998
Status: Accused

Fr. John Aquinas Powers
Ordained: 1952
Status: Accused

Fr. John Richardson
Ordained: Unknown
Status: Accused

Fr. Raymond Francisco Schulte
Ordained: 1979
Status: Sued

Fr. Edgar Sepulveda
Ordained: 1989
Status: Charges Dropped

Fr. Thomas F. Watkins
Ordained: 1963
Status: Accused

Helping Survivors of Clergy Abuse Find Justice

While we should rightfully be able to turn to spiritual leaders for guidance and support in time of trauma and despair, too often those very systems have overlooked and even hidden evidence of clergy sexual abuse. Many survivors struggle to find justice for their abusers and the therapy they may need to fully recover.

While we understand that coming forward is difficult, at Saunders and Walker P.A., we are dedicated to helping brave survivors confront their experience and hold the abusers and the organizations that support them accountable.

Call us or contact us online today to speak with a compassionate attorney in a confidential setting. If you were abused by a member of the clergy in Charlotte, NC or anywhere in the country, you deserve sound legal advice and the opportunity to discuss the legal options available to you.

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