Diocese of Sacramento Accused Priests

The Diocese of Sacramento is located in northern California, serving 20 counties. In 2019, victims came forward, credibly accusing more than 40 priests of sexually abusing nearly 130 children within the Diocese of Sacramento in the past 70 years. The Diocese has released a list of names of the priests that have been credibly accused.

The type of abuse ranged from rape to inappropriate kissing. The abuse affected people 25 years of age and younger. Some of the religious leaders were specifically assigned to serve within schools and other youth organizations.

One example was Gerardo Beltran. He was ordained as a priest in July 1982 of the Diocese of Sacramento. The alleged abuse occurred from 1982 to 1991. Sixteen victims came forward, both males and females, alleging that he sexually touched and fondled them. The most recent victim came forward in 2019, with the first victim coming forward in 1991. Beltran fled to Mexico in December 1991, after the first victim came forward and the police issued an arrest warrant. He ignored the Diocese’s request to return to California. The Pope issued an involuntary dismissal from the priesthood in April 2008, based on a petition the Diocese submitted to Rome.

Another example is Michael Dermody. Born in Ireland and ordained in 1958, Michael Dermody sexually abused a male under the age of 14 and a female between the ages of 18 to 25. He was removed from the ministry in 1989 following the female victims’ report. Dermody died in 2006, but the male victim did not come forward until 2019.

Since 2002, the Diocese of Sacramento has settled many claims, paying out more than $50 million to victims, settling 58 claims. In 2005, the Diocese paid out $35 million to settle 33 claims. However, $16 million of these payments came from the Diocese’s insurance carriers, nearly $5 million came from religious orders, leaving around $29 million paid directly from the Diocese.

Bishop Jaime Soto released a statement apologizing for the abuse, stating, “I apologize for the sins and failures of the past. I am determined that such acts of abuse should never again occur in our diocese. I pledge to you that I and my brother priests are zealous in our efforts to ensure that our parishes and other church ministries are safe environments for our children and young people.”

The Diocese of Sacramento has a legal duty to protect its members. When the Diocese fails to do so, the sexual abuse victims have legal rights against both the abuser and the Diocese itself. If someone sexually abused you or a family member while within the Diocese of Sacramento, you may be able to file a legal claim against the Diocese.

California recently passed legislation that allows victims of sexual abuse to file a claim no matter how long ago the abuse happened or how old the victim is. The deadline to file a claim is December 31, 2022. Contact our sexual abuse attorneys at Herman Law to understand whether or not you can file a claim and learn how we can help you.