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Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee ACCUSED PRIESTS

The Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee was originally a part of St. Augustine and the then-Diocese of Mobile, before splitting off in 1975 to become the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee serves around 80,000 Catholics in 18 counties in the northwestern part of Florida, is considered a “dual see” diocese, which means its bishop governs from two centers, Pensacola and Tallahassee.

Numerous victims of child sexual abuse have come forward with allegations against priests serving in the diocese. In 1996, Vijay Bhasker Godugunuru, a priest from the Diocese of Cuddapah in India, was visiting friends and helping at a parish in the Diocese of  Pensacola-Tallahassee when a 16-year-old girl accused him of sexually assaulting her. 

Authorities charged Godugunuru with the second-degree felony of lewd and lascivious battery against a minor, and he later pled guilty to aggravated assault. Rather than serving time in prison, the diocese sent him back to India, so in 2018, the girl’s family filed a civil lawsuit against the diocese.   

In 1997, the church removed priest Richard Castillo after a parishioner accused him of molesting him when he was a teenager. Two Tallahassee brothers also claimed that the priest molested them, but that the church ignored their complaints. According to the allegations against Castillo, in 1989, teenage boys would often spend time at Castillo’s rented beachfront house, where Castillo gave the boys beer even though they were underaged. 

One of these boys got drunk one night and awoke to Castillo molesting him. In 1996, the boy’s parents complained to then-bishop John Ricard, who responded by offering the family verbal support and counseling. Rather than removing him from the diocese, Ricard simply promised the parents that Castillo would not abuse more boys. The church agreed to provide ongoing therapy for the family, only after they agreed not to file a lawsuit against the church. Castillo was never charged criminally because the statute of limitations had run out.

In 2002, priest Thomas Anthony Crandall was arrested for dealing drugs and stealing parish money and was sentenced to 51 months in prison by a federal court. While he was on probation, he was charged with child pornography. He was convicted in 2006 and sentenced to ten years in prison, only to serve nine of those years and be released in 2015.

In 2018, the diocese removed priest Edward Jones from his assignments as pastor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Crawfordville and Sacred Heart Parish in Lanark after a former parishioner alleged that Jones molested her when she was a teenager in 2004. Jones was serving at the Blessed Sacrament Parish in Tallahassee when the abuse happened. Authorities opened a criminal investigation after the allegations surfaced, but no charges have been filed. 

After a two-year investigation into clergy abuse in Florida, the Florida State Attorney General issued a report naming priests in all seven dioceses who had been credibly accused of sexual abuse. The report listed the following priests who served at any time in the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee: Vijay Bhasker Godugunuru, Lawrence Boucher, Richard Bowles, Richard Castillo, Michael Cherup, Thomas Crandall, Samuel Curry, Jonathan Franklin, Edward Jungquist, David McCreanor, James Bluett, Philip Halstead, Todd Hevia, Eddie Jones, Sebastian Naslund, Timothy Pathe, Louis Reczek, Arthur Terminello, and Michael Wever. 

The cases that happened in the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee are reflective of the overall cover up that happened within the Roman Catholic Church throughout the world and the United States. The Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee was supposed to protect its members. Instead, it covered up instances of sexual abuse and allowed predators to prey on the children within the church. 

Children who were sexually abused while in the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee deserve to seek justice. If a clergy member sexually abused you or a family member while at the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee, contact the sexual abuse lawyers at Herman Law today for a free case evaluation where we will explain your legal rights and whether or not you can pursue a claim.

Ordained: N/A
Status: Convicted
 
From India. Visiting friends in Florida and assisting at a local parish in 6/06 when accused of sexual abuse of a 15-year-old girl. Arrested. Later pled guilty to aggravated assault. Did not serve prison time. Was forced to return to India as part of a plea deal. Civil suit filed in 2/08 by the girl’s parents. He was working as priest in Sarteano, Italy until 4/18/10. Included on the Pensacola-Talahassee diocese’s list of credibly accused.
Ordained: 1967
Status: Accused
 
From Ireland. Named publicly as credibly accused by the diocese on its list in 2020. Permanently removed from ministry in 2008.
Ordained: 1983
Status: Accused
 
Admitted to abusing four boys. Reported to police in 1996 but statute had run. Parents had to file a release saying they would not file civil suit to get diocese to pay for ongoing therapy. Two brothers said they had previously told the diocese of abuse but were ignored. Permanently barred from ministry, sent for treatment, and barred from contact with children. Included on the diocese list of credibly accused.
Ordained: 1981
Status: Accused
 
Diocese learned 7/19/13 of allegation of sexual abuse of a 15-year-old youth in 8/93 while assigned to Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Pensacola. Conduct was described as of a lewd and lascivious in nature, like “groping.” Review Board found allegation credible. Removed without privileges from St. Mary’s in Fort Walton Beach 8/29/13. Cherup denied all allegations. Included on the diocese’s list of credibly accused. Noted to have been permanently removed from ministry in 2013.
Ordained: 1981
Status: Convicted
 
Active priest when arrested in 1/02 for dealing drugs and taking money from parish. Sentenced to 51 months in federal prison. Out on probation in 2005 when he was arrested on child porn charges. Convicted by jury in 6/06. Sentenced to 10 years in prison. On sex offender registry. Included on the diocese’s list of credibly accused. Permanently removed from ministry in 2002.
Ordained: 1962
Status: Accused
 
Named publicly as credibly accused by the diocese on its list in 2020. Died in 2002.
Ordained: 1967
Status: Accused
 
Named publicly as credibly accused by the diocese on its list in 2020. Noted to have been permanently removed from ministry in 1997.
Ordained: 2003
Status: Accused
 
Pastor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Crawfordville and Sacred Heart in Lanark when removed in 8/18 due to allegation of ‘inappropriate contact’ with an underage girl in 2004 while assigned to Blessed Sacrament in Tallahassee. State’s Attorney to investigate. Included in 2020 on the diocese’s list of credibly accused (first name ‘Eddie’). Permanently removed from ministry in 2018.
Ordained: 1975
Status: Accused
 
From Ireland. Ordained for the Diocese of St. Augustine. Accused in 10/97 by three sisters of ‘seducing’ them in the 1980s when they were teenagers. The sisters claimed they came forward to his current diocese at least 14 months prior to the time they went to the newspapers. McCreanor was not removed from his parish until they went public. Per the diocese, at least five more women have come forward to claim that he had made sexual overtures toward them. He denied all allegations. No charges filed. Included on the St. Augustine diocese’s list 11/6/20, abuse noted to have occurred 1973-75. Included on the Pensacola-Tallahassee diocese’s list of credibly accused. Permanently removed in 1997.
Ordained: 1967
Status: Accused
 
Named publicly as credibly accused by the diocese on its list in 2020. Permanently removed from ministry in 1997.
Ordained: 1926
Status: Accused
 
From Ireland. Monsignor. Worked in the Mobile AL diocese until 1942. Army chaplain 1942-46. Priest of the St. Augustine FL diocese 1967-74. In Pensacola-Tallahassee 1975-77. Died 2/11/77. Named publicly as credibly accused by the Pensacola-Tallahassee diocese on its list in 2020.
Ordained: 1964
Status: Accused
 
Priest of the LaSalette Province of Mary, Mother of the Americas Missionaries. Permanently removed by the order in 1974. Assigned in Peoria IL early career, including as a hospital chaplain. Active priest in FL 1970s and ’80s until his death. Died in 1986, age 57. Named publicly as credibly accused by the Pensacola-Tallahassee diocese on its list in 2020.
Ordained: N/A
Status: Accused
 
Named publicly as credibly accused by the Pensacola-Tallahassee diocese on its list in 2020. Died in 1962. (Arrested in 1946 of disorderly conduct after giving a speech in Chicago against Jews, the Roosevelts, Communists and others, resulting in a riot. Convicted. Conviction was overturned in 1949.)
Ordained: 1977
Status: Accused
 
Named publicly as credibly accused by the Pensacola-Tallahassee diocese on its list in 2020. Was withdrawn from ministry in 1983.

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