Clergy Accused of Sexual Abuse in Michigan

Bishop James S. Sullivan

In June 2002, Sullivan, who had previously served as the Bishop of Fargo ND, faced accusations of fondling a young boy back in 1966 at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in East Lansing MI. Interestingly, the same plaintiff had previously reached a settlement with the Christian Brothers in 1995 regarding abuse allegations against Br. Jeffrey…

Br. Francis Mary Sparacino

Listed in the 6/18/2013 Audit and Review Report of the Files of the Capuchin Province of St. Joseph is an individual identified as Sparacino, who was a friar at the time and had been accused of sexually abusing minors. The report does not provide any further details regarding the allegations against him. Sparacino primarily worked…

Br. Jeffrey Gregory

In 1966, there were accusations made against Gregory for engaging in oral sexual activity with a 16-year-old altar boy. The alleged victim reached a settlement with the De La Salle Christian Brothers in 1995, receiving $10K for psychiatric care. It is important to note that the Lansing diocese was not implicated in this settlement. Fast…

Br. Matthew Migan

Migan, a friar who passed away, has been recognized in the 6/18/13 Report of the Audit and Review of the Files of the Capuchin Province of St. Joseph. This report confirms that he engaged in sexual abuse of minors. Although there are no further details regarding the allegations against him, it is noted that he…

Deacon Hurmiz Risko Ishak

Deacon Hurmiz Risko Ishak served as a deacon for a span of 21 years. He was assigned to the esteemed St. Joseph Chaldean in Troy. It was during this time that the alleged sexual assault of a young boy took place within the sacred walls of the church. These events unfolded between the dates of…

Deacon Richard L. Howard

On September 10, 1977, Deacon Richard L. Howard was ordained into the permanent diaconate. Following his ordination, he had the privilege of teaching at All Saints High School in Bay City and was also assigned to serve at St. Stanislaus parish. However, on April 18, 1988, his faculties were suspended, and eventually, the diocese released…

Fr. Aaron Nowicki

In August 2021, Nowicki found himself apprehended during a meticulously planned operation, as he naively believed he was rendezvousing with a teenager aged 14 or 15 for illicit activities in Sault Ste. Marie, MI. It had come to light that Nowicki had previously been expelled from his clerical duties in the Diocese of Marquette WI…

Fr. Alexander Thomas Fitzgerald

Publicly identified by the diocese on 7/13/20 as one of the individuals with credible allegations against them, this person passed away on 7/5/96.

Fr. Alfred J. Miller

In 2002, the individual was granted the official permission to retire following the emergence of accusations regarding sexual impropriety that allegedly occurred in the late 1960s or early 1970s. Throughout the investigation, no priestly privileges were extended to them. The allegations of misconduct with older male children were made by multiple individuals. Subsequently, a civil…

Fr. Anthony J. Conti

Formerly recognized as A. J. “Anthony” Helinski until at least 1988, this individual was stripped of their title in 2002 following accusations of engaging in sexual misconduct with a minor over two decades prior. As a result, they were permanently barred from participating in any form of ministry. Their involvement in a civil lawsuit in…

Fr. Arthur Cooney

Listed in the audit report conducted on 6/18/13 by Capuchin, Cooney emerges as a present-day friar who has been implicated in cases of sexual misconduct involving minors. His name appears on the aforementioned list, albeit devoid of any further details regarding the allegations against him, except for the fact that he has been relieved of…

Fr. Arthur Michael Karey

Monsignor, who served in the cities of Detroit, Ecorse, and Orion, dedicated his time as a police chaplain before his passing in 1993. Recently, in June of 2018, the archdiocese made a public statement confirming their thorough investigation and validation of an allegation received the year prior. This allegation revealed that Karey, during the earlier…

Fr. Augustine Cops

Hailing all the way from the Netherlands, this individual embarked on a spiritual journey by joining the esteemed Capuchin Order as a friar in the year 1959. After years of dedication and commitment, they were ordained in 1986, marking a significant milestone in their religious path. However, their name was publicly disclosed as the focal…

Fr. Austin Schlaefer

Listed in the 6/18/2013 Capuchin audit report, this deceased friar was unequivocally implicated in the sexual exploitation of minors. His demise occurred on 6/19/1992 in Saginaw, MI, after having served in various locations such as Milwaukee, Detroit, and Chicago. By 8/9/2019, his name had been added to the Saginaw diocese’s roster, and in 10/2022, he…

Fr. B. Neil Smith

Publicly identified as accused in the report released by the Michigan Attorney General on October 22nd, this individual was named as the perpetrator of sexual abuse. Back in 2004, Bishop Garland was informed by a man that Smith had engaged in multiple instances of sexual abuse when the man was just 14 or 15 years…

Fr. Basil Goerner

Also referred to as Steve, this individual was ordained at the age of 61 in 1993, following a period of marriage and raising a family. Notably, he was included in the MI A.G.’s 10/22 report, which highlighted allegations of sexual abuse against him. In 1994, the diocese received a report from a woman who claimed…

Fr. Benedict Adams

Listed in the 6/18/13 Audit and Review of the Files of the Capuchin Province of St. Joseph as a deceased friar who was involved in the sexual abuse of minors. Passed away on 4/15/02. Spent a significant portion of his career in Wisconsin. Included in the Saginaw diocese’s roster on 8/9/19, where he served from…

Fr. Brian Bjorklund

A chaplain serving in the Navy was relieved from his duties in 2003 due to accusations of misconduct involving a young male individual during the early stages of his priesthood. Although no legal charges were filed, a review board determined that the allegations held merit. However, in February 2004, the Vatican reinstated him as an…

Fr. Brian L. Stanley

In August 2019, the Michigan Attorney General made an announcement regarding charges against Stanley for the crime of false imprisonment. Back in 2013, Stanley was placed on leave following an accusation that he had forcibly held a teenage boy captive in the janitor’s room at St. Margaret’s. The disturbing incident involved Stanley wrapping the boy…

Fr. Bryan W. Medlin

During the month of December in 2021, the diocese publicly acknowledged that Medlin, who at the time held the positions of pastor at the National Shrine of the Cross in the Woods in Indian River and assistant director of vocations for the diocese, was under investigation by the MI Attorney General. This investigation was prompted…

Fr. C. Richard Kelly, Jr.

On February 4th, he was placed on leave after an investigation by the archdiocese into allegations of sexual abuse against a minor boy that occurred approximately 30 years ago. The matter was reported to the civil authorities in 2003. A review committee deemed the allegations to be “substantive.” Throughout his career, he took a leave…

Fr. Casimir Adasiewicz

According to the report from the Michigan Attorney General on October 22nd, it was revealed that the diocese had been informed in 2008 about an incident involving Adasiewicz, who was accused of molesting and raping a 7-year-old girl back in approximately 1965 at Sacred Heart in L’anse. Shockingly, Adasiewicz had allegedly threatened the young victim,…

Fr. Charles Antekeier

Having retired in the year 2000, this individual has been accused of engaging in sexual abuse towards a minor during the years 1984-1985 while serving as a pastor at St. James in Grand Rapids. Consequently, in August of 2015, they were permanently removed from their ministerial duties and instructed to lead a life centered around…

Fr. Charles J. Strelick

Publicly identified as an accused individual in the report released by the Michigan Attorney General’s office on October 22nd, this person’s alleged misconduct came to the attention of the diocese in August 2020. According to a man who came forward, Strelick, during a confession in 1991 when the man was just 8 years old, was…

Fr. Chester Vincent Tomaszewski

Publicly identified as credibly accused by the diocese on its roster on September 27th, 2019. Commenced a period of sick leave on January 15th, 1987. Passed away on October 21st, 1987.

Fr. Clement J. LePine

In 2005, LePine was accused of abusing at least two girls, as young as age 5, and a boy during the 1960s and 1970s. The diocese found the allegations to be credible and agreed to remove LePine’s name from the parish hall at St. Joseph Parish in Ishpeming, where he had been assigned from 1957…

Fr. Daniel C. Aerts

On April 2002, Aerts confessed to engaging in sexual impropriety with a teenager back in 1979 during his tenure at St. Thomas and Holy Spirit parishes in Grand Rapids. It appears that the victim reached out to him through a letter in 2002, which he promptly forwarded to the Diocese. Consequently, he tendered his resignation.…

Fr. Darius W. Wyszynski

Officially ordained for the Province of Assumption BVM in Wisconsin, this individual was later incorporated into the Diocese of Lansing in 1970. Sadly, their earthly journey came to an end on February 17th, 2013. It was on September 27th, 2019, that the diocese publicly disclosed their name, acknowledging the credible accusations made against them.

Fr. David E. LeBlanc

In January 2007, LeBlanc made the decision to resign from his parish after confessing to Bishop Hurley that he had committed abuse against a young boy back in 1971. This accusation had been brought to the attention of the diocese in 1993, and at that time, LeBlanc had admitted to it. Surprisingly, Bishop Rose took…

Fr. David F. West

On December 15th, the Archdiocese made a public declaration regarding a substantiated claim of sexual misconduct involving a young male in the 1970s. The accused, West, passed away at the age of 65 in 2004. This announcement revealed that West had been involved in approximately 20 different parishes throughout his time in service. Furthermore, the…