Clergy Credibly Accused of Sexual Abuse of Minors
The following clergy of the Archdiocese of Washington have been credibly accused of sexual abuse of minors.
Francis A. Benham
Ordained 1963
Abuse first reported to ADW 1979
Removed from ADW ministry 1979 (treated and cleared for return to ministry)
Accepted assignment Diocese of Columbus, OH 1979-85
Abandoned priesthood 1985
Arrested and convicted 2005
Removed from Clerical State 2005
Died 2023
Salvatore F. Bucca
Ordained 1976
Abuse (possibly sexual) first reported to ADW 1978
Removed from ministry 1978
Raymond C. Callahan
Ordained 1963
Abuse first reported to ADW 1971
Removed from ministry 1971
Convicted 1971
Removed from Clerical State 1977
Died 1996
C. Thomas Chleboski
Ordained 1988
Abuse first reported to ADW 1990
Removed from ministry 1990
Arrested 1990; convicted 1991
Removed from Clerical State 1996
Joseph B. Coyne
Ordained 1945
Abuse reported to ADW 1992
Retired 1994
Faculties removed 1995
Died 1999
Russell Lowell Dillard
Ordained 1978
Abuse first reported to ADW 2002
Removed from ministry 2002
Removed from Clerical State 2003
R. Joseph Dooley
Ordained 1960
Abuse first reported to ADW 1991
Removed from parish ministry 1992
Coordinator for Sick and Retired Priests 1992-1995
Retired without faculties 1995
Died 2002
John W. Eccleston
Ordained 1955
Sexual misconduct reported to ADW 1960 (sent for evaluation and treatment, cleared for return 1962)
Served in Diocese of St. Cloud, MN beginning 1962; Incardinated in St. Cloud, MN 1973
Arrested and convicted in Minnesota 1982
Died 2012
James A. Finan
Ordained 1959
Abuse first reported to ADW 1996
Removed from ministry 1996
Arrested and convicted 1997, 2003
Died 2013
Roger P. Gallagher
Ordained 1954
Abuse first reported to ADW 1992
Removed from ministry 1992
Died 2012
Edward T. Hartel
Ordained 1962
Abuse first reported to ADW 1995
Removed from ministry 1995
Arrested 1995; tried and acquitted
Died 2013
William E. Krouse
Ordained 1973
Abandoned priesthood 1987
Abuse first reported to ADW 1996
Arrested and convicted 1996
James V. Lannon
Ordained 1931
Abuse first reported to ADW 1953
Suspended 1953, 1954 (temporarily removed, evaluated, returned to ministry)
Permanently removed from parish ministry 1958
Died 1984
Paul E. Lavin
Ordained 1969
Abuse first reported to ADW 1997 (placed on leave and evaluated; returned to ministry after police investigated without charges)
Permanently removed from ministry after additional abuse reported 2002
Removed from Clerical State 2004
Thomas W. Lyons
Ordained 1948
Died 1988
Abuse reported to ADW 2002
Peter M. McCutcheon
Ordained 1979
Abuse first reported to ADW 1986
Removed from ministry 1986
Arrested and convicted 1986
Removed from Clerical State 2004
James F. Montgomery
Ordained 1956
Died 2000
Abuse reported to ADW 2020
Arthur J. O’Brien
Ordained 1983
Abuse first reported to ADW 1983
Removed from ADW ministry 1984 (treated and cleared for return to ministry)
Accepted assignments in Alabama and Hawaii 1985-89
Excardinated to Hawaii 1989
Arrested and convicted in Hawaii 1992
Died 2011
Robert J. Petrella
Ordained 1964
Abuse first reported to ADW 1966 (temporarily removed, evaluated and treated, cleared for return to ministry)
Permanently removed from ministry after additional abuse reported 1989
Arrested 1996; convicted 1997
Removed from Clerical State 2003
James J. Powderly
Ordained 1958
Abuse first reported to ADW 1997
Retired without faculties 1997
Died 2004
Edward B. Pritchard
Ordained 1974
Abuse first reported to ADW 1986 (placed on leave, evaluated and treated, cleared for return to ministry)
Permanently removed from ministry after additional abuse reported 1995
Arrested and convicted 1995
Died 2002
Thomas S. Schaefer
Ordained 1953
Abuse first reported to ADW 1967 (temporarily removed, evaluated and treated, cleared for return to ministry)
Additional abuse reported to ADW 1982 (temporarily removed, evaluated and treated, cleared for return to ministry 1983)
Permanently removed from parish ministry 1986
Nursing Home Chaplain 1986-95
Removed without faculties 1995
Arrested 1995; convicted 1996
Died 2009
James A. Scott
Ordained 1966
Abuse first reported to ADW 1986 (temporarily removed, evaluated, cleared for return to limited ministry 1987)
Hospital and Nursing Home Chaplain 1987-95
Faculties removed 1995
Removed from Clerical State 1996
Died 2013
Timothy F. Slevin
Ordained 1965
Abandoned priesthood 1974
Removed from Clerical State 1978
Abuse first reported to ADW 1986
Arrested and convicted 1986
Alphonsus M. Smith
Ordained 1956
Abuse first reported to ADW 1995
Removed from ministry 1995
Arrested and convicted 1995
Died 2005
Dan P. Stallings
Ordained Deacon 1986
Abuse first reported to ADW 2007
Arrested 2007; convicted 2008
Removed from ministry 2007
Removed from Clerical State 2009
Died 2015
William M. Stock
Ordained 1969
Abandoned priesthood 1985
Abuse first reported to ADW 2006
Arrested 2006; convicted 2007
Paul T. Twiddy
Ordained 1952
Abuse first reported to ADW 1965 (removed from ministry, evaluated and treated, cleared for return to ministry 1968)
Accepted assignment in Diocese of Monterey 1968-1971
Long-term in-patient treatment after additional report of abuse in CA 1971-1979 (cleared for return to limited ministry 1980)
In residence at ADW parish with limited responsibilities while in out-patient treatment 1980-1986
Retired 1986
Died 2009
Miguel Umana Zelaya
Ordained 1996
Abuse first reported to ADW 2000
Removed from ministry 2000
Removed from Clerical State 2003
Religious Order or Non-Diocesan Priests Serving in Archdiocese of Washington Parishes or Schools
Aaron J. Cote, O.P.
Dominican Priest on temporary parish assignment
Re-assigned by Order to Rhode Island 2003
Abuse reported to ADW 2003 (after re-assignment)
Removed from Ministry by Order 2005
Arrested 2008; convicted 2009
Died 2012
Theodore E. McCarrick
Ordained 1958
Removed from Clerical State 2019
Theodore Edgar McCarrick has been included on the list based on the findings of the Archdiocese of New York that allegations of abuse of a minor against then Father McCarrick were found to be credible and substantiated.
Walter Dayton Salisbury
Josephite Priest on temporary parish assignment
Abuse reported to ADW 1993
Arrested and convicted 1993
Removed from ADW by Order 1993
Ronald J. Tully
Augustinian Priest/teacher, Archbishop Carroll High School 1960s
Left Augustinian Order 1970, became priest of Diocese of Paterson, NJ
Removed from Clerical State 2004
Abuse reported to ADW 2011
Urbano Vazquez
Capuchin Priest on parish assignment
Abuse reported to ADW 2018
Faculties removed by ADW and removed from parish by Capuchin Order 2018
Arrested 2018; Convicted 2019
This list will be updated if warranted by the receipt of additional allegations or further review of Archdiocesan records. View the Archdiocese of Washington’s Policies and Procedures below.
The archdiocese has had a written Child Protection Policy since 1986. The policy covers reporting, prevention and healing. It mandates reporting to civil authorities; education for children and adults; and background checks for clergy, employees and volunteers who work with minors. Also included is information on assistance for those harmed and what to do if there is an allegation. A Child Protection Advisory Board of predominantly lay experts advises on and monitors compliance with child protection efforts.
Please view these links:
For Reporting
To submit report by email, please complete this form and email to [email protected].
Questions? Contact the Office of Child and Youth Protection & Safe Environment at 301-853-5328.
- Reporting on Child Sexual Abuse
- Reporting Sexual Abuse – Darkness to Light End:Child Sexual Abuse sheet
National Child Protection Efforts and Resources