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: