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Archdiocese of Miami ACCUSED PRIESTS

The Archdiocese of Miami was created in 1958 and encompasses the Broward, Miami-Dade, and Monroe County regions. This archdiocese serves about 1.3 million Catholics, and sinceits establishment, the archdiocese has paid out millions of dollars to settle numerous lawsuits over sexual abuse by priests.

As of 2003, the archdiocese’s insurers had paid $9.3 million to settle about 90 claims alleging child sexual abuse by 38 South Florida priests. That following year, the archdiocese agreed to settle more lawsuits for an additional $3.5 million.

As of early 2020, the archdiocese had not released a list of priests credibly accused of sexual abuse, but the watchdog organization BishopAccountability.org has compiled a list of 43 clergies who have been credibly accused of sexual abuse in the archdiocese, including:

  • Arnulfo Arandia
  • Joseph Calimari
  • Francisco Carrera
  • Charles Cassetta
  • Ricardo Castellanos
  • Rolando Castillo
  • Benjamin Cieply
  • Joseph Cinesi
  • Rocco Charles D’Angelo
  • Thomas Dennehy
  • Neil Doherty
  • Christopher T. Eggleton
  • Thomas J. Engbers
  • Rafael Escala
  • Miguel A. Fernandez
  • James Flemming
  • Rolando G. Garcia
  • Ernesto Garcia-Rubin
  • Hector Gonzalez-Abreu
  • Joaquin Guerrero
  • Alvaro Guichard
  • L. Yates Harris
  • Joseph Huck
  • Pedro Jove
  • Joseph Kershner
  • Gerard T. LaCerra
  • Jan Malicki
  • Otto Martinez
  • Kevin T. McDonald
  • Anthony Mercieca
  • Gustavo J. Miyares
  • Jose Pablo Nickse
  • Kevin O’Brien
  • Juan Ramon O’Farrill
  • Anthony R. Parlangeli
  • Cristobal de Jesus Puertas
  • Harry Ringenberger
  • Sister Joan Marie
  • Trevor Smith
  • Edward W. Sokol
  • Donald J. Walk
  • Bryan O. Walsh
  • Kenneth Ward.

In 2007, a former parishioner filed a lawsuit against the archdiocese, alleging that former priest Joseph Calimari molested two brothers in the 1960s, two and four years old at the time, at Christ the King in Perrine, Florida. Tragically, one of the boys would go on to take their own life in 2006.

That same year, the archdiocese settled a lawsuit in which the victim, a former altar boy at St. James Church in North Miami, alleged that former priest Anthony Mercieca sexually abused him in the 1970s when he was thirteen years old. The victim alleged that Mercieca took the boy for a bike ride to get ice cream, and then later assaulted him in the church’s bell tower. The church did not disclose the settlement amount, but the original complaint sought $10 million in damages.

Another victim filed a lawsuit against the archdiocese in 2012, seeking $5 million and alleging that the archdiocese knew as early as the 1980s that former priest Rolando Garcia had been accused of sexual abuse, but knowingly chose to do nothing about it, leaving Garcia to continue abusing additional victims. At least three additional victims had already levelled sexual abuse claims against Garcia, and the parties ended up later settling the lawsuit. The archdiocese had indicated that it would allow Garcia to remain in the ministry after he passed a polygraph test, but he voluntarily resigned in December 2012.

In 2015, another alleged victim filed a lawsuit against the archdiocese, seeking more than $5 million for sexual abuse allegedly perpetrated by former priest Harry Ringenberger in 1989. According to the allegations, Ringenberger molested the boy, then 14-years-old, in the rectory of St. Maximilian Church. The lawsuit alleged that the archdiocese allowed Ringenberger to continue working as a priest after knowing that Ringenberger had molested the boy. The archdiocese merely sent Ringenberger away for one year, only to assign him to a new parish in the archdiocese.

The Archdiocese of Miami has failed many of its members. The diocese owed you a duty of care to protect you, and if they failed to do so, you may be entitled to financial compensation. If you or someone you love experienced sexual abuse at the Archdiocese of Miami, contact our legal team at Herman Law today for a free consultation.

Ordained: 1980
Status: Sued
 
From the Guayaquil, Ecuador diocese. Accused of abusing youth, age 15, in Miami in 1988. Moved to Jackson MS diocese in 2000. Suspended in 6/02 when charges surfaced. Believed to have fled to Ecuador. Accuser said he told a deacon about the abuse in 1988; Arandia immediately transferred. Same man also accused Fr. Castellanos of abuse. Prosecutors decided in 1/04 not to file criminal charges because statute had run. On Jackson diocese’s list 3/19/19.
Ordained: N/A
Status: Sued
 
Accused in a 2007 lawsuit of sexually abusing a boy, ages 2-4, and his older brother at Christ the King in Perrine in the 1960s. The abuse allegedly occurred in the church office, a bedroom and a school bus. The brother died by suicide in 2006.
Ordained: N/A
Status: Sued
 
Visiting priest from Spain. A former altar boy sued Carrera in 2002 alleging that the priest molested him in 1981 at Our Lady of Divine Providence Church in west Miami-Dade when he was 13. Also said the Diocese transferred Carrera back to Spain when it learned of the abuse. Second suit filed in 5/11 alleged abuse of a 10-year-old boy in 1976 at the same parish. Appeals court upheld lower court’s dismissal on SOL 4/17/13. Carrera had lived in Spain since the early 1980s.
Ordained: 1970
Status: Settled
 
Worked in the Buffalo, NY diocese prior to assignment in Florida. Accused in a 2003 lawsuit of sexually abusing a female student at least ten times in 1971-72 at Cardinal Newman High School in West Palm Beach. Suit settled in 5/04 for $220K. Cassetta left the priesthood, married and was last known to be living in Maryland.
Ordained: 1970
Status: Settled
 
Accused in a 2002 lawsuit of sexually abusing a boy, ages 14-16, in the early 1970s. The abuse allegedly occurred at St. Kieran Church and LaSalle High School in Miami and during overnight trips to Disney World. Criminal charges not pursued due to the statue of limitations. At least four civil suits named Castellanos. Two claims settled 9/22/04. Retired in 2005 when new suit filed. Another suit filed in 5/12 claims Castellanos abused a youth more than 150 times in about 1995 at San Isidro Church in Pompano Beach.
Ordained: 1994
Status: Sued
 
Accused in a 10/07 civil suit alleged of sexually abusing a 17-year-old youth in 2001. Placed on leave. Denied all allegations. Cleared by the archdiocese in In 4/09. Was to be returned to active status and reassigned to a different parish. Civil suit was unclear as to whether plaintiff was actually a minor at the time of the alleged abuse in 2001. Lawsuit was “mutually resolved.” Unknown if any payment was made.
Ordained: 2008
Status: Accused
 
Named publicly as accused by the Legionaries on 9/6/18. Ordained in Dallas, TX, transferred to the Archdiocese of Miami in 2015. Report to Child Protective Services in late 2016 of child sexual abuse. CPS could not substantiate the allegations. The archdiocese removed Cieply from ministry after their internal review. Returned to Legionaries. Cieply would not participate in the Order’s investigation, claiming innocence. In 6/18 the Order determined a “high probability” that abuse occurred and Cieply was not to return to ministry. Case sent to Vatican.
Ordained: 1980
Status: Settled
 
Per news in 9/99, a man told police in 7/98 that Cinesi had had sexual contact with him about 100 times when he was between 12- and 15-years-old in late ’70s- early ’80s. The diocese settled at least five claims and/or lawsuits against Cinesi between 1999 and 2001. Another civil suit filed in 5/04 alleging abuse of a boy in 1978-79. It settled in 9/04.
Ordained: 1956
Status: Settled
 
Miami Archdiocese knew in 1966-67 that D’Angelo had molested at least 4-5 boys. The boys and their parents confronted the church, which promised he would go away and never work with kids again. D’Angelo went for therapy and then on to new assignments in the St. Petersburg Diocese. Numerous suits were filed in Miami and Tampa. Several settled; others dismissed on statute of limitations. Per the 11/6/20 FL A.G. report, D’Angelo was “retired” in 1994 after an accusation. Died in 2005. One man who settled in 1998 sued again in 2002, alleging fraud on the part of Archdiocese. Settled in 4/09.
Ordained: 1958
Status: Sued
 
Ordained in Ireland. First public allegations against Dennehy were made in a civil suit filed 10/5/10. Plaintiff alleged that Dennehy abused him when he was an altar boy, ages 12 and 13, in 1967-68, at St. John the Baptist parish. In addition to masturbation, oral sex, and sodomy, the plaintiff was allegedly forced to dress in a girl’s school uniform during the abuse. Dennehy was the parish pastor and Cardinal Gibbons High School principal. Retired in 1993. Died in 1999. Miami said it offered counseling to the plaintiff in 2009, but he denied that happened.
Ordained: 1969
Status: Convicted
 
Parish priest, counselor for Catholic Family Services. Archdiocese was warned of Doherty’s behavior many times, as early as 1971. Kept in ministry until 4/02. Lawsuit in 2003 claimed abuse of four to five boys. Settlement in 1994 for $50K. New suit in 2005 claimed abuse of a boy over five years, starting when the boy was 11 in 1997. Drugged and raped victims. Had them call him “Gus.” Arrested in 2006. Settlement(s) in 2006. Two claims settled in 6/07. Three more plaintiffs came forward in 4/07. Multiple suits 2007-13. By 11/11 26 men had come forward with allegations. Trial awarded $100M in 11/11; plaintiff(s) will never collect. Pled no contest in criminal matter 1/14/13. Sentenced to 15 years 1/28/13. New allegations emerged during the FL A.G.’s investigation, report released 11/6/20.
Ordained: 1988
Status: Sued
 
Removed in 8/02 from assignment in the Baton Rouge, LA diocese after a civil suit was filed in Miami, alleging sexual abuse by Eggleton 1990-91 in FL. Also worked in New Orleans in 1993. The archdiocese announced in 7/04 that Eggleton was found “innocent of all charges by a Miami court” and was to begin work as prior for the Dominican House in Raleigh, NC.
Ordained: 1967
Status: Accused
 
Resigned from his parish in 4/02 citing health reasons. Archidocese confirmed in 6/02 that resignation was because of 22 year old sex abuse complaint in priest’s file. Man accusing Engbers said that his father reported the abuse to church authorities wh
Ordained: 1957
Status: Settled
 
Ordained in Cuba. Expelled after the Castro revolution, spent some time in Dominican Republic, and ended up in the Miami area in 1977. In late 2011, man notified Archdiocese that he had been abused by Escala in late 1980s when he was 16. Escala caught h
Ordained: 1950
Status: Settled
 
Accused in a 2005 civil suit against the Archdiocese of Miami of abuse of a youth in a West Palm Beach parish rectory. The plaintiff also alleged abuse by multiple other priests in the Archdiocese and elsewhere. The suit settled in 2007. Fernandez died in 4/04.
Ordained: 1986
Status: Sued
 
A man filed suit in 1/04 alleging that he was abused by Flemming and his brother, Rev. Neil Flemming, beginning in 1969 at at Boystown, a Miami-area orphanage. At the time of the alleged abuse, James Flemming was not yet a priest. The suit alleges that both men used him as their “personal sex servant.” James Flemming was a tutor at the school at the time of the alleged abuse.
Ordained: 1986
Status: Settled
 
From Cuba. Accused in a 2007 civil suit of sexual abuse of 11-year-old boy in 1989 at St. John Bosco in Little Havana. Suit settled in 2009. New suit filed in 9/12, alleging abuse in the 1980s when Garcia was in seminary. Suspended for 10 days before returned to active ministry. Per the archdiocese, Garcia passed polygraph test. Accused in 10/12 of covering up abuse by another priest. New suit filed 10/23/12 claiming abuse beginning in 1994. Denied all allegations. Removed without privileges 10/24/12. Resigned 11/30/12.
Ordained: 1963
Status: Settled
 
Worked a year in Miami; moved to Cuba; expelled in 1969 for “serious difficulties of a moral nature (homosexuality).” Miami took him back. Accused in 1988 of sexually abusing four Nicaraguan and Salvadoran refugee boys 1983-88. Evaluated at St. Luke’s 1988; sent on sabbatical to Colombia; assigned in Honduras. Miami removed faculties in 1989; defrocked in 1999. Per the FL A.G. report 11/6/20, Garcia-Rubio was known to befriend and offer help to teenage boys, mostly immigrants, withholding help if they would not provide him with sexual favors. A fifth man sued in 2004, alleging rape in 1984 when he was a refugee, age 13. Some claims settled in 9/04. New documents revealed in 3/10. New suits filed in 6/10 and 2/13. At least 11 known victims. Deceased.
Ordained: 1979
Status: Cleared
 
Accused in a civil suit filed in 11/03 of abusing a teenage boy after he reported to Gonzalez-Abreau that he had been abused by Fr. Alvaro Guichard. Accusations involved giving the boy a beer, showing him pornography and sexually abusing him. Gonzalez-Abreu was placed on leave in 12/03. Later cleared by the Archdiocese.
Ordained: 1960
Status: Settled
 
Accused in 11/02 of raping and abusing a boy, age 14, for six months in 1962. His alleged victim said he had come to FL from Cuba under a program sponsored by the archdiocese and was placed in a camp, where the abuse occurred. Guerrero was ordained in Cuba and worked in the archdiocese in the 1960s. He apparently left the archdiocese in 1965. The claim settled 9/04.
Ordained: 1969
Status: Settled
 
Accused in a 5/02 lawsuit of abuse of a teenage boy in the 1970s. Criminal charges not pursued due to the statute of limitations. Reinstated as pastor after 15 months on leave. Archdiocese could not prove allegations. Another civil suit was filed in 11/03; Guichard was again placed on leave. Named in at least four suits. In 9/06 Guichard filed suits against his accuser and the family of a deceased accuser. He filed another suit in 10/06. Five plaintiffs are known to have settled claims. Church trial held in 11/07.
Ordained: 1977
Status: Sued
 
Accused in a 3/03 lawsuit of sexually abusing a boy, age 17, 20 years prior. Harris was working as high school counselor and chaplain at the time. The alleged victim said the counseling office at the school was lined with pictures Harris had taken of shirtless male students. All had hand-written notes on the back on them. Harris died in 1996.
Ordained: 1969
Status: Settled
 
Accused in a suit filed in 6/03 of sexually abusing a boy, ages 12-14, in the mid-1970s. Huck’s accuser was a resident of Boystown, outside of Miami. Huck allegedly threatened the boy to keep him quiet. The boy is said to have told his house parent and the director and was punished. He said he also told Archbishop McCarthy, who told him not to say such things about a priest. Claims settled in 2004. Huck retired in 2002.
Ordained: N/A
Status: Sued
 
Accused, along with Rev. Gustavo Miyares, in a suit filed in 10/06 of abusing a boy, age 14, in 1981 and 1982. The abuse allegedly occurred at at a Palm Beach County seminary, a Miami rectory and a condominium in the Keys. In 2006 Jove was referred to as “a former priest who runs a nonprofit Miami-Dade agency for senior citizens.” He left the Archdiocese 20 years prior and “formally left the priesthood” 12 years prior.
Ordained: 1964
Status: Sued
 
Principal of Cardinal Gibbons High School when suspended in 6/02 due to allegations of abuse in the 1980s. Allegedly grabbed a student’s buttocks. Two male teachers also complained that he groped them. Cleared by the Review Board in 12/02 and returned him to active ministry. He then “retired” because of health problems. Named in a civil suit filed late 2009 or early 2010 in FL.
Ordained: 1969
Status: Settled
 
Accused in a 2005 suit of touching, fondling and sexually abusing a youth in the early 1980s, after the youth told him he had been abused by numerous other priests in Miami and other locations. The suit settled in 2007. LaCerra was Chancellor of the Archdiocese during the time of the alleged abuse. He died in 7/00. He was also accused of destroying incriminating files regarding other priests and protecting Rev. Neil Doherty, a prolific abuser.
Ordained: 1973
Status: Settled
 
Ordained in Poland. Arrived in FL in 1989. Accused in a 1998 lawsuit of abusing a 13-year-old girl and a woman. Police investigated for two years; no charges filed. Suit was dormant for four years until the FL Supreme Court ruled in 3/02 that churches were not protected from negligent hiring and supervision claims. It settled in 2005. Malicki filed a suit in 7/02 against the Archdiocese for publicly accusing him of wrongdoing. His suit was dismissed in 6/03.
Ordained: 1963
Status: Accused
 
Reportedly in 2004 Martinez was investigated among around 20 archdiocesan priests by prosecutors. No charges filed due to the statute of limitations.
Ordained: 2013
Status: Accused
 
Named publicly as credibly accused by the Las Cruces diocese on its list in 2020. Abuse allegedly occurred in Miami prior to McDonald’s ordination for the Diocese of Las Cruces. A complaint was received in 2014. McDonald was removed from public ministry in 2018.
Ordained: 1962
Status: Settled
 
Admitted in 10/06 that he fondled altar boy Mark Foley (later U.S. Rep for FL,) in the mid-1960s when Foley was ages 11-13. John Doe 26 then filed suit, alleging that Mercieca performed oral sex on him in the late 1970s at age 12-13. Mercieca admitted that he skinny-dipped with Foley, gave him nude massages, and took him on trips to DC and NYC. (Foley was forced to resign from Congress in 2006 because of his behavior with pages.) Civil suit against Mercieca settled in 7/07. Another suit filed in 10/08 claimed abuse in 1977.
Ordained: 1973
Status: Sued
 
Accused, along with Rev. Pedro Jove, in a suit filed in 10/06 of abusing a boy, age 14, in 1981 and 1982. The abuse allegedly occurred at at a Palm Beach County seminary, a Miami rectory and a condominium in the Keys. Resigned as pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish. Faculties removed. The abuse allegedly included oral sex and sodomy. Another man filed suit in 11/06, claiming Miyares abused him for over three years when he was a St. Timothy’s altar boy in the early 1980s. Accused in an 8/13 suit of abusing an altar boy in the late 1990s at Immaculate Conception School.
Ordained: 1973
Status: Settled
 
From Cuba. Worked in Florida for at least 20 years. Placed on leave in 6/02 after a lawsuit claimed he and Fr. Ricardo Castellanos abused a 15-year-old youth in 1982. Additional complaints and/or suits filed. Some settled in 2004. Nickse died of a heart attack in 12/02, before the allegations were completely investigated.
Ordained: 1977
Status: Sued
 
A suit filed in 3/05 claimed sexual misconduct by O’Brien in 1978 and 1979 with a student at Mary Help of Christians School, where he was principal. He also worked in Boston MA. Died in 1981. Included in 3/20 on the Salesians’ list of credibly accused.
Ordained: 1945
Status: Sued
 
From Cuba. Sought political asylum in the US in 1959. Retired in 1983. A 4/11 civil suit alleged that in 1988 O’Farrill sexually molested a 16-year-old boy from Nicaragua who sought counseling from him at St. Michael the Archangel in west Little Havana. O’Farrill allegedly gave the boy alcohol in orange juice and performed oral sex. O’Farrill died in 1994. Just before death he was arrested and charged with giving an alibi to a robber in exchange for sex.
Ordained: N/A
Status: Convicted
 
Professed vows as a Marianist in 1963. New York Province. Worked in Fl and Puerto Rico. Per news in 3/02 a man said that at age 15 he was drugged and raped by Parlangeli on an overnight camping trip. Parlangeli said he was too tired to camp and rented a hotel room. Drugs caused convulsions; Parlangeli had to take youth to hospital ER. Police notifed; he was arrested. Charges later reduced to administering drugs illegally. Spent a brief time in jail. Transferred to Baltimore where he also abused. A 1994 civil suit settled. Left order in 1973, married and raised three children. Moved to CA. Died in 1997. Included on the Order’s 6/24/20 list of accused.
Ordained: N/A
Status: Settled
 
A civil suit filed in 2010 claimed abuse by Puertas of a boy. The archdiocese reported in 2012 that there was a settlement involving Puertas, who was no longer a priest in the Archdiocese. His alleged victim said that Fr. Rolando Garcia knew about the abuse at the time and paid him to keep it quiet.
Ordained: 1969
Status: Sued
 
Accused in a lawsuit filed 5/19/15 of sexual assault of a 14-year-old boy in 1989 at St. Maximilian Kolbe Catholic Church, Pembroke Pines FL. Allegations include his wrestling naked with the boy, and that he abused other children similarly. The lawsuit claims the archdiocese was informed of the allegations in 1989 but allowed Ringenberger to work at another parish after sending him away for a year.
Ordained: N/A
Status: Sued
 
Accused in a suit filed 4/12/11 of groping and fondling a first grade boy during the 1978-79 school year at St. James Catholic School in North Miami. The abuse allegedly occurred under the guise of tucking in the boy’s shirt. Defendants are Archdiocese of Miami, the archbishop, the Dominican Sisters, and the school.
Ordained: 1967
Status: Settled
 
Accused in a 9/02 civil suit of sexually abusing a 10- year-old boy in the late 1990s. Smith was chaplain at a nursing home owned by the Archdiocese of Miami, where the boy’s grandmother was a resident. Settled in 2003 for $500K. Also accusations of inappropriate contact with boys in the 1970s. Sent for therapy. Arrested in 6/04 and charged with two counts of lewd and lascivious assault. Convicted in 12/04 of abuse from 2002. Sentenced to two years house arrest and eight years probation.
Ordained: 1987
Status: Convicted
 
Professed vows as a Marianist brother in 1962, Province of New York. Left the Order in 1986. Ordained for the Franciscans in 1987. Arrested in 4/01 in a police sting after arranging over the internet to meet a 15-year-old boy for sex. Pled no contest to computer pornography in 12/01; judge allowed him to continue running a group home for disabled adult males. Ordered to leave the home in 3/02 by social services. Also worked in Boston archdiocese, at Perkins School for the Blind, and in NH. Briefly had privileges in Miami after Franciscans withdrew his privileges. Included on the Marianists 6/24/20 list of accused. Noted to be deceased.
Ordained: 1967
Status: Settled
 
Walk is named in a 7/06 settlement with the Miami Archdiocese as having abused a teenage boy in the 1970s-80s. He had no particular assignment at the time and was still “absent on leave,” per the 1989 Catholic Directory. Chaplain of the Miami Dolphins at one point. Accused in a civil suit filed in summer, 2007 of abusing a boy, ages 14-16, in the late 1970s. Another plaintiff filed suit in 12/07 alleging abuse 1977-82.
Ordained: 1954
Status: Sued
 
Accused in 6/9/06 complaint of sexual abuse of boy age 14 in 1964, including penetration and oral sex. Boy was ward of Operation Pedro Pan; Walsh was its founder and director. Pedro Pan brought 14,048 Cuban children to US in 1960-62; placed them in orpha
Ordained: N/A
Status: Sued
 
Former dean of students at Msgr. Edward Pace High School. Allegations reported to police in 2006; Archdiocese says it did not learn of them until Fall, 2012. In an 8/13 civil suit, three men in their mid-20s alleged that Ward abused them in the early 2000s. He worked at Pace 2000-2006. Spent two more years at Christopher Columbus High in Westchester. A fourth man sued in 9/13. Left order in 2008. Got a state license as a registered nurse in 2012. Worked in a psychiatric hospital.

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