Diocese of Yakima ACCUSED PRIESTS

From Ireland. Arrived in Yakima immediately after ordination. A woman filed a civil suit in 9/08 alleging that Breen abused her 1968-72, when she was a teen and parishioner of St. Paul Cathedral. She had gone to him for counseling. He also taught at the diocesan high school. Took leave of absence in 1978; never returned. Left the priesthood and later married. Suit settled 3/11 for $287.5K. Named in a second suit in 11/10 as having knowledge of abuse by Rev. Sean Dolan and doing nothing. On the diocese’s list 7/9/19. It notes multiple claims and lawsuits settled.

Ordained a permanent deacon in 1986, assigned to Christ the King in Richland. Volunteer with middle and high school students at the parish beginning 1978. In 6/17 a 15-year-old girl told her youth group leader that Davalle molested her when she was younger. Davalle was arrested 6/27/17, and charged with molesting the girl and her sister 8 or 9 years prior, when they were ages 8-12. Davalle admitted to the abuse, and said he sexually assaulted another girl, about age 10. Pled guilty in 5/18. Sentenced in 9/18 to a minimum of more than five years in prison. On the diocese’s list 7/9/19. It notes the abuse was in “non-ministerial settings.”

Ordained in Ireland. Worked in Yakima diocese until mid-1970s when he left the priesthood. Two women filed suit 11/10 alleging abuse by Dolan between 1967 and 1975 at St. Paul Cathedral when they were about 16 years old. Both had gone to Dolan for counseling. He died in 2007. Suit also named the parish pastor, Rev. Christopher Breen – also later accused – as having known of the abuse and doing nothing. On the diocese’s list 7/9/19. It notes multiple claims and lawsuits settled.

Named publicly as accused by the diocese on its list 7/9/19. It notes a lawsuit pending, and no prior claims or reports. Deceased. Had voluntarily left ministry.

Named publicly as accused by the diocese on its list 7/9/19. It notes that Gallagher was returned to ministry after treatment, and retired in 1991. Deceased.

From Mexico, ordained in Yakima. Removed from public ministry 5/5/17, as reported by the diocese 6//12/17, for the “forcible fondling” of a teenage boy 5 or 6 years prior. Church deemed allegation credible. Gomez Santos denied the allegation, but admitted to giving alcohol, massages and gifts to minors, including trips to Disneyland. He also allowed teens to sleep over in his parish residences. Said by diocese to be living in supervised setting. No criminal charges due to 3-year statute of limitations in WA. Lawsuit v diocese filed 10/17 re alleged abuse of teen boy at St. Juan Diego parish in Cowiche in 2012. On diocese’s list 7/9/19. It notes laicization process underway.

Worked in Waterville, Chelan, East Wenatchee and Leavenworth 1958- 1979. Lawsuit filed 3/10 alleged Graaff abused a girl ages 9-11 in 1972-1974, while he was assigned to St. Joseph’s in Waterville. He died in 1990. Suit dismissed 2/6/13 after diocese argued there was “insufficient evidence to allow the claim to go to trial.” On the diocese’s list 7/9/19. It notes small settlement in lieu of appeal.

Accused in a 4/19 lawsuit, along with three other priests, of abusing a boy in the 1970s and ’80s at a YMCA building used by the diocese, and at St. Andrew’s parish. Hagel’s accuser said the abuse began when he was age 10, and that it included being forced into sex acts with other boys. On the diocese’s list 7/9/19. It notes a civil investigation in 1980 that did not result in charges and lawsuit pending in a new case. Retired, no active ministry.

A man filed a lawsuit 1/07 alleging he was abused by King and another priest, Richard O’Connor, as a high school student in the mid-1960s. Abuse by King may have occurred in Spokane after several priests and students were transferred there from Yakima when St. Peter the Apostle Seminary in Cowiche closed. King died in 2001. Settled 1/10 for $150K total. On Yakima diocese’s list 7/9/19.

Worked in Seattle, Yakima and Tacoma, WA and in Portland, OR. Accused in a 2004 lawsuit of abusing of a 13-year-old boy in the early 1950s at Marquette High School for Boys in Yakima. Left Jesuit High School in Portland in 1993. Died 7/31/02. Civil suit dismissed in 7/06 due to “lack of activity.” Per the Jesuits West list 12/7/18, there were reports in 1999 and 2009 of abuse in 1966-70 and 1968-71. On the Yakima diocese’s list 7/9/19.

Named publicly as accused by the diocese on its list 7/9/19. It notes that Kovalik declined treatment, left ministry and was laicized.

Working in Yakima in 2003 when accused of having nude pictures of boys on his computer. Suspended during the investigation by the FBI and Church. Sent to a treatment facility in St. Louis for evaluation. Eventually cleared of wrongdoing. Transferred to the St. Louis Archdiocese and allowed to return to active ministry without notice to parishioners. Resigned in 1/07 “because he had been hounded so much.” Assigned as director of Calvary Cemetery in Yakima as of 10/11.

A man filed suit in 1/07 alleging he was abused by O’Connor and another priest, Anthony King, as a high school student in the mid-1960s. O’Connor was a teacher at St. Peter the Apostle Seminary in Cowiche. The alleged abuse by O’Connor occurred before the seminary was closed and students and priests were transferred to Seattle. Died in 1989. Case settled in 1/10 for $150K. On the diocese’s list 7/9/19.

Deacon. Accused in 1999 of inviting a 17-year-old boy to spend the evening with him at a church trailer home. The boy passed out on the porch after Ramirez gave him alcohol, and woke up nude on a bed with the nude deacon lying beside him. Ramirez fled to Mexico before the diocese could investigate. Laicized in 2000. Later became an Episcopal priest in Mexico. Dismissed after publicity. Civil suit filed in 7/11. Federal trial underway in 3/14. Judge ruled 6/12/14 that the diocese was not responsible. This decision was made despite the fact that no personnel file for the deacon could be located in diocesan files. On the diocese’s list 7/9/19.

Visiting priest from Mexico. Spent several weeks at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Moses Lake in early 1970s. Also spent time in San Antonio in the 1970s. Returned to Mexico and is believed to have died in auto accident in the early 1980s. As of 12/12, he had been accused of abusing at least four boys between the ages of 7 and 14. Two of the accusers were offered counseling. Two others are deceased. Parishioners were informed 12/16/12, but authorities had know for months. On the Yakima diocese’s lit 7/9/19. It notes a first victim was provided counseling, and a second given a financial settlement.

Accused in a 1994 civil suit of abusing a 15-year-old boy in 1980 at parish school. Suit claims Fr. Dale Calhoun also abused the youth. Removed from parish in Yakima diocese in 1988 and sent to treatment. Later moved to Hereford TX. Working in Amarillo TX 1989-3/02 when he resigned. At least two claims settled confidentially. A Seattle priest stated publicly in 2004 that Scully abused him in the 1970s when he was 15; reported to church in 2003. Name included on Seattle archdiocese’s list 1/15/16. Accused in a 4/19 suit, along with three other priests, of abuse of a Yakima boy in the 1970s and 1980s at St. Andrew’s parish and at a YMCA building used by the diocese. This accuser said the abuse began when he was age 10, and that it included being forced into sex acts with other boys. Laicized. On Yakima’s list 7/9/19. A 2020 lawsuit settled, per the diocese’s list updated in 11/21.

From Ireland. A woman filed suit 2005 accusing Simpson of abuse of several girls in early 1960s. Three more women filed suits 6/06 claiming abuse as young girls. Diocese settled four cases 1/08 for $200K. Simpson was known as a chronic alcoholic and had to sign a sobriety oath before working in the diocese. He died in Ireland in 1977. New suit 9/18 alleging Simpson and another, unnamed, priest sexually abused a girl for ten years, beginning when she was age five, in the late 1950s into the 1960s at St. Aloysius in Toppenish. She said the abuse by Simpson began when he replaced the other priest around 1960, and she was in about third grade. The abuse allegedly included rape, resulted in a miscarried pregnancy when the girl was 12, and ended when he left the parish when she was 14 . On the diocese’s list 7/9/19. Per the diocese’s list updated in 11/21, a 2019 lawsuit settled.

A man told diocese in 1997 that Tholen groomed him and then assaulted him once in the early 1960s at Holy Redeemer Parish. Bishop apologized and offered settlement. Tholen retired same year, for medical reasons. In 1999, brother of original complainant filed a civil suit claiming abuse when he was a minor. Suit settled in 2000. Tholen died in 1/12. On the diocese’s list 7/9/19.

Placed on leave in 12/07 and moved from his residence at Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose, CA to Sacred Heart Jesuit Center in Los Gatos, CA. Order investigated “an alleged recent incident of improper touching involving a 17-year-old boy while on a pastoral assignment” in White Salmon, WA. Often filled in along the western coast states for priests on vacation or leave. Included on the Jesuit West Province list 12/7/18. Noted to be still living at Sacred Heart Jesuit Center, on a safety plan. Died 12/10/20.

Named publicly as accused by the Yakima diocese on its list 7/9/19. It notes that Wood received treatment, was incardinated into the Diocese of Gary, then the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, and that he left the Catholic Church in 1981. Deceased.