Thread: Priest flees to Mexico after bishop delays abuse report

http://www.columbusdispatch.com/religio ... ory=194513

Priest flees after Calif. bishop delays abuse report, official says
Associated Press
Friday, June 23, 2006 4:25 AM
SAN FRANCISCO -- A priest who admitted sexually abusing a 12-year-old altar boy fled to Mexico after his bishop failed to immediately report the confession to authorities, a law enforcement official said.

The Rev. Xavier Ochoa was suspended April 28 after admitting to the abuse to the Roman Catholic bishop of Santa Rosa. Bishop Daniel Walsh didn't notify law enforcement until three days later, giving Ochoa time to flee, according to church and law enforcement officials.

The Sonoma County district attorney's office yesterday filed multiple misdemeanor and felony charges against Ochoa related to three boys he allegedly abused. Besides the altar boy, he also was charged with molesting two teenage boys more than 10 years ago when he lived in Cotati.

A spokeswoman for the diocese did not return calls seeking comment.

According to law enforcement and church officials, Ochoa confessed on April 27 to a fellow priest. Ochoa reported it the following day to the bishop, who immediately suspended Ochoa and barred him from performing his priestly duties.

Dan Galvin, the diocese's lawyer, told The Press Democrat that Walsh spoke to him the following day. Believing the Child Protective Services office would be closed on a Saturday, Galvin faxed a letter to the office on Monday, May 1, and notified the sheriff's department the next day, he said.

Carol Bauer, director of the county's Family, Youth and Children's Services, said a telephone report should have been made within 24 hours to Child Protective Services, which maintains a 24-hour hot line.

Deputies interviewed the altar boy, but Ochoa was likely on his way to Mexico or already there, court records said.

The boy told sheriff's deputies he often went to Ochoa's apartment across the street from St. Francis Solano Church to do chores, according to court documents. Ochoa allegedly offered the boy $100 for a strip tease.

"While the victim was dancing and taking off his clothes, Ochoa sat on the edge of his bed laughing and throwing marshmallows at the victim; and the victim was trying to catch the marshmallows with his mouth," according to court documents.

The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, a national support group, sent Walsh an angry letter and accused church officials of dragging their feet.

"When any citizen suspects a crime, he or she should call the police. That's common sense, and in this case, that's the law," said David Clohessy, SNAP's director.

It was unlikely church officials would face criminal charges for the tardy reporting, said O'Leary, the sheriff's spokesman.

"You don't want to discourage people from reporting abuse," O'Leary said.

Ochoa is the 17th priest from the diocese to be accused of molesting a total of 62 children. In all, the diocese has paid or promised to pay dozens of people nearly $20 million since 1990.

http://www.ktvu.com/news/9413676/detail.html

Priest Flees County; Santa Rosa Bishop Slow In Reporting Child Abuse

POSTED: 3:30 pm PDT June 22, 2006

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Roman Catholic bishop of Santa Rosa failed to immediately report an admission of child abuse by a priest who has since left the country, authorities said Thursday.

The Rev. Xavier Ochoa was suspended April 28 after admitting an incident of sexual abuse with a 12-year-old boy. Bishop Daniel Walsh didn't notify law enforcement until three days later, giving Ochoa time to flee to Mexico, according to church and law enforcement officials.

The Sonoma County district attorney's office on Thursday filed multiple misdemeanor and felony charges, including sodomy, oral copulation and lewd conduct with a minor, according to sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Dennis O'Leary.

It was unlikely church officials would face criminal charges for the tardy reporting, he said.

"You don't want to discourage people from reporting abuse," O'Leary said.

According to law enforcement and church officials, Ochoa made the admission on April 27 to a fellow priest. Ochoa reported it the following day to the bishop, who immediately suspended Ochoa and barred him from performing his priestly duties.

Walsh spoke to the diocese's lawyer, Dan Galvin, the following day. Believing the Child Protective Services office would be closed on a Saturday, Galvin faxed a letter to the office on Monday, May 1. Galvin notified the sheriff's department the following day.

Carol Bauer, director of the county's Family, Youth and Children's Services, said a telephone report should have been made within 24 hours to Child Protective Services, which maintains a 24-hour hot line. The report also should have been made by the priests who learned of Ochoa's alleged crimes, not by an attorney.

The diocese's own policy regarding sexual abuse requires anyone who learns of an alleged incident to report it to law enforcement as "soon as practically possible by telephone and to prepare and send a written report ... within 36 hours of receiving the information."

A diocesan spokeswoman did not immediately return a call Thursday seeking comment.

The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, a national support group, sent Walsh an angry letter and issued a scathing press release accusing church officials of dragging their feet.

"When any citizen suspects a crime, he or she should call the police. That's common sense, and in this case, that's the law," said David Clohessy, SNAP's national director.

Deputies interviewed the altar boy whom Ochoa admitted abusing after Mass in April. And Ochoa was likely on his way to Mexico or already there, according to court records.

They boy told sheriff's deputies he often went to Ochoa's apartment across the street from St. Francis Solano Church to do chores. Ochoa reportedly offered the boy $100 for a strip tease.

"While the victim was dancing and taking off his clothes, Ochoa sat on the edge of his bed laughing and throwing marshmallows at the victim; and the victim was trying to catch the marshmallows with his mouth," according to court documents.

On May 3, Ochoa called his pastor from San Diego saying he was "tired and scared." The Rev. Michael Kelly told Ochoa to return to Sonoma, court records said.

The following day, Ochoa called a friend and told her he was in a Tijuana hospital, according to court records.

Ochoa also was charged Thursday with molesting two teenage boys more than 10 years ago, when Ochoa was living in Cotati.

A spokesman for the district attorney's office did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Ochoa was ordained as a Jesuit in Mexico in 1969 and became a diocesan priest when he arrived in Sonoma County in 1988.

Ochoa is the 17th priest from the diocese to be accused of molesting a total of 62 children. In all, the diocese has paid or promised to pay dozens of people nearly $20 million since 1990.