New York Priest Abuse: List of Accused Clergy in New York’s Archdiocese & Diocese

In 2002, reporters at The Boston Globe published a series of articles detailing an epidemic of sex abuse crimes committed by priests and other authority figures operating out of local Catholic dioceses.

These explosive revelations inspired similar investigations around the country, including in New York, which has a very large Catholic population. Nearly one third of New Yorkers identify as Catholic, and there are more than 500 Roman Catholic Churches throughout the state.

Unfortunately, this also means there is a significant number of priest sex abuse claims.

While the first well-known clergy sex abuse claim in New York goes back decades to the 1980s, the scandal of rampant clergy sex abuse gained significant momentum in the early 2000s. Since then, thousands of New York priests and other clergy members have been accused of abuse.

In 2019, the Child Victims Act (CVA) was signed into law, extending the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse survivors to file a legal claim against their abuser. The CVA also created a one-year “lookback window” for those who were previously barred from pursuing a claim.

During that one-year lookback period alone (which expired on August 13, 2021), more than 3,300 child sexual abuse lawsuits involving the Catholic Church and its affiliates and clergy were filed in the state of New York.

If you are a survivor of priest sexual abuse or abuse by a brother, cardinal, teacher, coach, volunteer, or another employee of the Catholic Church in New York, you have rights.

Our experienced attorneys can help you seek justice for the harm you’ve suffered. Call our law firm at 1-800-748-7115 to find out if you have a claim.

Proving Your Claim

If the sexual abuse you experienced happened years or even decades ago, you may worry that it’s too late to pursue justice. But it’s important to know that civil lawsuits don’t require the same burden of proof as criminal cases.

While criminal cases require proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, civil cases only require that you prove that the person more than likely committed the sexual abuse.

You don’t need to be able to provide physical evidence of the abuse. Your testimony will be key to proving your claim. If other victims of your abuser have also come forward to share their stories, this will also likely help your case.

You do not need to currently live in New York to file a claim against a New York clergy member who abused you.

Our New York clergy abuse attorneys can help you build your case. Call us at 1-800-748-7115 for a free, confidential consultation.

Statutes of Limitations for Child Sexual Abuse in NY

The Child Victims Act (CVA) was signed into law by Governor Andrew Cuomo in 2019. The CVA extended the statute of limitations for survivors of child sexual abuse in criminal and civil cases in New York. Under the CVA:

• Survivors of abuse by clergy members can file a civil lawsuit against their alleged abuser until they reach age 55. This is a significant change from the previous age limit of 23.
• Felony charges for child sexual abuse can now be filed until the victim is 28 years of age.
• Misdemeanor charges can be filed until the alleged victim reaches 25 years of age.

How Legislation Has Increased Clergy Abuse Claims

The Roman Catholic Church has paid billions of dollars in settlements for sexual abuse claims throughout the United States, and this number grows by the day.

Part of this is because many states, including New York, have extended the statute of limitations, giving victims more time to come forward.

Many states have also created special lookback periods, giving victims (who were previously barred from doing so) the opportunity to come forward about the clergy sexual abuse they suffered and make claims.

As soon as the Child Victims Act was signed in 2019, clergy sexual abuse claims skyrocketed. This highlights the problem of rampant sexual abuse in the Catholic Church and illustrates why this kind of legislation is so important.

List of Accused Priests in NY

The NY clergy abuse lists below include the names of priests, clergy, and members of religious orders who have been credibly accused of sexual abuse.

This information was compiled by the Bishop Accountability project. Each Diocese also maintains lists of accusations it considers credible.

The accused clergy members should be considered innocent until proven guilty. Most settlement agreements reached by the Diocese do not include an admission of guilt.

Even if you don’t see the name of a clergy member on these lists, it does not mean there have been no accusations made against them, nor does it mean you don’t have a claim. You may also be able to file a claim against a priest or other clergy member who is not listed below.

List of Accused Priests and Clergy in the Diocese of Albany, New York

There are 108 credibly accused clergy members in the Diocese of Albany, NY.

List of Accused Clergy Members in the Diocese of Brooklyn, New York

There are 165 credibly accused priests and clergy members in the list of credibly accused in the Diocese of Brooklyn, NY.

List of Credibly Accused Priests and Clergy in the Diocese of Buffalo, New York

In the Diocese of Buffalo, NY, there are 208 priests and clergy listed.

List of Accused Clergy Members in the Diocese of Ogdensburg, New York

There are 52 clergy members and priests listed as credibly accused in the Diocese of Ogdensburg.

List of Accused Priests and Clergy in the Diocese of Rochester, New York

There are 73 accused priests and members of the clergy listed as credibly accused in the Diocese of Rochester.

List of Accused Priests and Clergy in the Diocese of Rockville Centre, New York

In the Diocese of Rockville Centre, NY, there are 128 credibly accused priests and clergy members listed.

List of Priests and Clergy Accused of Abuse in the Diocese of Syracuse, New York

In the Diocese of Syracuse, NY, 60 priests and clergy members are listed as credibly accused.

List of Accused Priests and Clergy in the Archdiocese of New York, New York

There are 255 priests and clergy members listed as credibly accused in the Archdiocese of New York, NY.

Get Help Filing a NY Clergy Sexual Abuse Claim

If you are a survivor of sexual abuse by a clergy member or other person affiliated with the Catholic Church in New York, you are not alone, and you have rights. Our experienced New York priest abuse attorneys are ready to help you.

It can take years to process sexual abuse and come forward. This is why the Child Victims Act is such a crucial piece of legislation. It dramatically extends the time victims have to come forward.

If you’re ready to share your story and seek compensation and justice for the harm you’ve suffered, our empathic attorneys are ready to help. Getting closure and holding sexual predators accountable is easier with an experienced law firm by your side.

Saunders & Walker P.A. offers a confidential case evaluation at no cost to you. There is no substitute for sound legal advice when you have been the victim of past abuse by a trusted religious figure.

Contact us today at 1-800-748-7115 to speak to one of our team members about which legal avenues are available to you or a loved one.

Sources:

1. https://www.bishop-accountability.org/dioceses/usa-ny-albany/
2. https://www.bishop-accountability.org/dioceses/usa-ny-brooklyn/
3. https://www.bishop-accountability.org/dioceses/usa-ny-buffalo/
4. https://www.bishop-accountability.org/dioceses/usa-ny-ogdensburg/
5. https://www.bishop-accountability.org/dioceses/usa-ny-rochester/
6. https://www.bishop-accountability.org/dioceses/usa-ny-rockville-centre/
7. https://www.bishop-accountability.org/dioceses/usa-ny-syracuse/
8. https://www.bishop-accountability.org/dioceses/usa-ny-new-york/