Michigan Clergy Abuse Lawyer

Michigan Attorneys Investigating Clergy Sexual Abuse Claims Against the Roman Catholic Church Archdioceses

The Church has been rocked by allegations of repeated child sexual abuse of young boys by accused priests and ministers. These heinous acts have caused immense harm to the victims, and the Church has shown itself to be negligent in allowing these abuses to occur.

Victims of clergy abuse can pursue justice through the civil court system. Compensation for the permanent harm caused by this abuse is available through a civil lawsuit filed against clergy members and Catholic dioceses.

Were you sexually abused by a clergy member affiliated with an institution or organization? If so, you may now have a chance to take legal action against those responsible. At Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC, our clergy abuse lawyers are legal advocates for sexually assaulted victims and hold predators and enablers accountable.

Contact a Michigan clergy abuse lawyer at (888) 424-5757 (toll-free phone number) or use the online form for immediate legal advice and schedule a free consultation.

Clergy Abuse in Michigan Diocese

Breaking the barriers that surround sexual assault and clergy sex abuse can be a daunting task, but for victims and survivors in Michigan, that barrier has been broken as the state legislature recently passed a bill requiring all clergy members to report abuse.

In addition, a sex offender registration law in Michigan was recently expanded to include clergy members who sexually abuse minors.

A Catholic priest who pleaded guilty to sexually abusing two young boys in Michigan has been sentenced to 13 years in prison.

The search warrants were filed in Ingham County district court as part of an ongoing criminal investigation into clergy sexual misconduct in the Catholic Diocese of Lansing.

The search warrants reveal that eight priests are being investigated for sexual abuse, spanning several decades.

Additional Cases of Clergy Sexual Misconduct in Michigan

Father Robert DeLand, a prominent Catholic priest in Michigan, has been charged with two counts of clergy sex abuse. The charges come after an investigation by the Saginaw News found that DeLand had allegedly abused two teenagers.

Similarly, another Father, John Doe, was also arrested and charged with two counts of clergy sexual exploitation in the state of Michigan. He is currently being held on a $200,000 bond. His case is still pending.

Some accused priests face several counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, which is punishable by up to fifteen years in prison.

A priest accused of three counts of second-degree sex assault has been arrested and arraigned. The priest, who has not been named, is accused of assaulting a 16-year-old girl at a Catholic establishment in Michigan.

A clergy member at St. Mary parish in Kalamazoo was arraigned on July 10th, 2007, on charges of criminal sexual conduct involving four children.

First Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct

“First-degree criminal sexual conduct” is defined as penetration by a body part or object of another person’s vagina, anus, or mouth without that person’s consent which can lead to life in prison.

A first-degree criminal sexual conduct case is currently unfolding in Michigan, involving allegations of clergy sexual exploitation within the Catholic institution. The accused priest is Father James Falvey, who several victims have accused of sexual assault and misconduct.

Additionally, a first-degree criminal sexual conduct charge has been filed against a Catholic priest in Michigan.

The charge is connected to the alleged abuse of a minor who was a member of the priest’s congregation and has prompted calls for greater transparency and accountability within the Catholic establishment.

Second Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct

Second Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct, or CSC 2, is a serious charge in Michigan. To be charged with this crime, the prosecutor must prove that the accused engaged in sexual penetration with someone who was under the age of 13 or if the accused used force or coercion to accomplish the sexual penetration.

If convicted of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, the accused will face 15 years in prison.

A second-degree criminal sexual conduct charge has been filed in Ingham County against a Catholic priest.

Father James Bommarito is accused of sexually assaulting a child under the age of 13 between 2000 and 2004.

A clergy member at St. Kiernan Catholic Church is facing two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct following allegations that he sexually exploited two young members of the church.

The Accused Priests Facing Four Counts of Second-Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct

The priests facing four counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct are:

Father Dennis Kwasniewski is accused of sexually abusing a teenage boy in the early 1980s.

Another Father, Edward Belczak, is accused of sexually abusing two teenage boys in the 1970s. The four counts of second-degree criminal sex misconduct are for separate incidents involving each boy.

Michigan Attorney General’s Office

According to the Attorney General’s office, dozens of former Catholic priests accused of molesting minors have been identified in a statewide investigation.

In a recent sex abuse report, Michigan State Police identified more than 150 priests accused of sexually assaulting young children across Michigan. Detroit, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Marquette, Saginaw, and Grand Rapids Dioceses.

In 2019, three other clergy sex exploitation cases were brought to light in Michigan. Father Ryan Erickson, a priest at St. John’s Parish in Fairview, was charged with two felony counts of criminal sexual abuse involving children under the age of thirteen years old in 2019. The ongoing investigation will unearth more evidence.

The former Reverend David Alan Boettcher, who was charged with sexually assaulting young boys in 2019, is another clergy member from the Lansing Diocese.

Reverend Patrick Casey, a priest at St. John’s Parish in Flint who worked for thirty-five years as a priest in Saginaw County, will be sentenced after he pleaded guilty last year to criminal sexual abuse and abusive acts.

More Sex Abuse Civil Lawsuits

Additional sex abuse civil lawsuits have named Bishop Kelley Catholic School, Immaculate Conception Catholic Parish, Archbishop Allen Vigneron, and the Archdiocese as the defendants in a clergy sexual abuse claim involving a former Catholic priest Aloysius Volskis (Father Al).

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel recently announced that she is opening an investigation into clergy abuse in the state.

Nessel’s investigation will aim to uncover any instances of abuse and cover-ups by religious organizations in Michigan to ensure victims receive the justice they deserve.

The Wayne County Circuit Court

A Wayne County circuit court judge has given the green light to a trial against the Catholic Diocese of Detroit and its former Archbishop, Cardinal Adam Maida.

The lawsuit was filed by a group of seven former altar boys, who allege that priests and other clergy members sexually exploited them during the 1980s and 1990s.

Michigan Roman Catholic Religious Institutions

In Michigan, the Catholic is the single largest religious group of all faiths statewide. The Archdiocese of Detroit, six Catholic dioceses, and their Bishops manage more than 875 Churches and 181 Catholic schools across the state.

The Church provides services to hundreds of thousands of registered parishioners living in eighty-three counties, six Catholic dioceses, and hundreds of clergy members, priests, and nuns.

The priests who previously escaped punishment for their crimes were allowed to remain in the ministry. In some cases, they simply changed dioceses.

An aggravated assault lawsuit was recently filed against several high-ranking clergy members in Michigan.

In another case, a former clergy member at a Benton Harbor church has recently been accused of sexual exploitation, causing a major uproar within the local community.

The Implicated Catholic Churches and Institutions

St. John, the Evangelist Parish

St. John, the Evangelist Parish in Monroe, is one of the Catholic churches in Michigan that has been accused of sexual abuse by clergy.

In September 2018, a former priest at St John Evangelist, Fr. Paul Hoffmann, was arrested and charged with five counts of criminal sexual conduct involving a minor.

St. John Elementary School

St. John Elementary School, a Catholic parish and grade school in Jackson county, is currently embroiled in a major scandal regarding the widespread sexual exploitation of vulnerable young children.

Shelby Township

The Shelby township police department is investigating a clergy abuse claim that allegedly took place at a church in Michigan.

The victim, now an adult, told police that the abuse occurred when he was a child. The alleged abuser is a former priest who is now deceased.

Thomas Rectory

Thomas Rectory in Michigan is a facility that has been at the center of several clergy abuse cases in recent years.

Many victims have come forward to testify about the sexual exploitation they experienced while living at the facility.

A priest at St. Thomas, the Apostle Church in Ann Arbor, is being investigated for sexual misconduct. The priest, who has not been named, is accused of sexually abusing a minor in the early 2000s.

Canterbury Parish

Canterbury parish in Brighton was the site of one of the most egregious Michigan sex exploitation cases.

In 1982, Father Gordon MacRae sexually assaulted a teenage boy in the church rectory.

The Michigan Department of Justice recently released a report detailing the widespread sexual exploitation of children in Michigan by clergy members.

Other sexual exploitation cases have been reported in the other seven dioceses and counties, including the Grand Rapids diocese, the Archdiocese of Detroit, and Genesee County.

The Holy Redeemer Church

The Holy Redeemer Church in Detroit, Michigan, is one of many Catholic churches in the United States that has come under fire for allegedly protecting priests accused of child sexual abuse.

The Grand Rapids Diocese

The Grand Rapids diocese has released the names of the accused priests of clergy abuse as part of a nationwide effort to increase transparency and prevent further abuses.

How to Report Abuse From Religious Institutions

To report abuse from a religious institution in Michigan, you can contact the Attorney General’s Office at (877)765-8388 or report abuse to the police. You can also report abuse to Clergy Abuse Reporting.

Were You Sexually Abused? Michigan Clergy Sexual Abuse Lawyers are Ready to Help

Our network of Michigan clergy sexual abuse attorneys understands how difficult it is to speak out about the inappropriate actions of a shameful clergy member and what they did to you.

We know that coming forward is challenging, and the church pushes back hard, using its power to say that whatever happened was not wrong.

However, with Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC, on your side, you’ll never stand there and fight the sexual predator or their employer alone while you pursue justice.

Let our law firm begin working on your Michigan clergy sexual abuse claim today. Talk to us now so we can file a lawsuit on your behalf. Your legal action might ensure that no other Michigan residents are abused or sexually assaulted by religious authorities.

We will obtain financial compensation for you and your family and protect your rights. Contact us now at (888) 424-5757.

Resources

• ABC 13 News: More than 450 priests accused of sexual abuse
• Mlive: Detroit Archdiocese sexual abuse cover-up since 2010