[[{“value”:”In order to investigate an alleged sexual abuse scandal, Louisiana State Police recently issued a legal warrant against the Roman Catholic archdiocese of New Orleans.
According to WWL Radio, “possible child sex trafficking linked to widespread physical abuse committed by priests over the course of many decades” is being investigated by police.
Police serve search warrant on New Orleans archdiocese in child sex abuse case https ://t.co/a6WvMEaccD
— Guardian US ( @GuardianUS) April 25, 2024
Per WWL Radio:
According to that warrant, obtained by WWL Radio from the Orleans Parish Criminal Clerk of Court’s Office on Tuesday, Louisiana State Police is seeking all documents linked to the archdiocese’s physical abuse scandal, including letters, emails, and priest assignments, transfers, and personnel files. The archdiocese is also required to turn over records of all physical abuse complaints made to archbishop officials, financial records relating to the archdiocese’s sexual abuse cases, and any other documents that led to priests being added to the list of priests who have been credibly accused of committing sexual abuse.
Direct investigator Scott Rodrigue testified under oath in a search warrant that their investigation haduncovered a decades-long pattern of “widespread physical abuse.” According to Rodriguez, LSP investigators spoke with a “now-known victim” in June 2022. According to Rodrigue, that known victim “described being sexually abused by former priest Father Lawrence Hecker, who served in 13 various congregations throughout his career,” at an Archdiocese facility. That interview, Rodrigue said, led to state police launching its investigation into the Archdiocese.
Rodrigue added that archdiocesan officials hid the abuse and failed to report it to law enforcement. According to Rodriguez, investigators came to that conclusion after speaking with victims and having examined “documents that a federal bankruptcy judge had earlier sealed.”
In connection with the Archdiocese of New Orleans sex abuse allegations, WDSU Investigates has obtained a copy of a search warrant from the Louisiana State Police. @WDS U https ://t.co/R0OPNbnp67 pic. twitter.com/ECcqDMYo9F
— AUBRY KILLION ( @AubryKWDSU) May 1, 2024
The allegations include claims that the Archdiocese was aware of, disregarding, and/or covered up pervasive claims of sexual abuse of minors dating again years, according to WDSU. In some cases, pecuniary payments were made to victims and/or their families by the Archdiocese to dismiss allegations”.
Breaking: essential reading, story on today’s devs v soon, following yesterday’s scoop by @RVargasWrites at @GuardianUS# NewOrleans #sexualabuse #archdiocese# Police https ://t.co/nNzhTBLve2 https ://t.co/pFSEBH8Y6d
— Joanna Walters ( @Joannawalters13 ) April 25, 2024
WDSU reports:
Additionally, the warrant claims that Hecker was not the only priest to be tested for child sex abuse in a medical facility.
LSP asserts in the warrant that one document obtained by the agency demonstrated that the Archbishop was “aware of prevalent physical abuse trough out the Archdiocese.”
According to the warrant, a large portion of the abuse occurred at archdiocese facilities, with numerous reports of victims being told to skinny-dip in a New Orleans Seminary pool.
According to the records, priests were able to give gifts to others so they could find out which victims had prospective abuse as well.
The warrant read:
” In some circumstances, the accused gave “gifts” to abuse victims with instructions to pass on or give the “gift” to a specific priest at the following school or church. According to some, the “gift” was intended to convey to another priest that the person was a victim of physical abuse.
The warrant concludes with a request for “any and all documents that relate to the sexual abuse of a small by clergy members employed or often associated with the Archdiocese of New Orleans.””}]] [[{“value”:”
Louisiana State Police served a criminal search warrant targeting the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans in order to investigate a alleged sexual abuse scandal.
WWL Radio reports that police are investigating a “possible child trafficking linked to widespread abuse committed by priests for several decades.”
Police serve search warrant on New Orleans archdiocese in child sex abuse case https://t.co/a6WvMEaccD
Guardian US (@GuardianUS), April 25, 2024
WWL Radio:
According to this warrant, obtained on Tuesday by WWL Radio, the Louisiana State Police is looking for all documents related to the sexual abuse scandal in the archdiocese, including letters, emails, priest assignments, transfers and personnel files. The warrant also requires the archdiocese turn over all records of complaints of sexual abuse that were made to archdiocesan authorities, financial records related to sexual abuse cases in the archdiocese and documents which led to priests’ names being added to a list of priests who had been credibly accused.
According to the search order, Scott Rodrigue, the lead investigator, testified under oath about his team’s discovery of a pattern of “widespread” sexual abuse over a period of decades. Rodrigue also said that LSP investigators had spoken with a “now known victim” in June 2022. Rodrigue stated that the “now-known victim” described being anally raped by Ex Priest Father Lawrence Hecker at an Archdiocese facility. Hecker served in 13 different churches during his career.
Rodrigue said that archdiocesan officials hid the abuse and did not report it to law-enforcement. Rodrigue said that investigators came to this conclusion after speaking to victims and reviewing “documents sealed by a federal bankruptcy court judge.”
WDSU Investigates obtained a copy of a Louisiana State Police search warrant in connection with allegations of sexual abuse by the Archdiocese of New Orleans. @WDSU https://t.co/R0OPNbnp67 pic.twitter.com/ECcqDMYo9F
AUBRY KILLION – May 1, 2024
According to WDSU’s warrant, “the allegations include the claims that the Archdiocese ignored, covered up, or was aware of widespread claims of sexual abuse against minors dating back many years.” In some cases, the Archdiocese paid money to victims or their families to dismiss allegations.
Breaking: essential reading, story on today’s devs v soon, following yesterday’s scoop by @RVargasWrites at @GuardianUS #NewOrleans #sexualabuse #archdiocese #Police https://t.co/nNzhTBLve2 https://t.co/pFSEBH8Y6d
Joanna Walters April 25, 2024
WDSU reports
The warrant also alleges Hecker was not only priest sent to a mental facility to be tested on allegations of child sexual abuse.
LSP claims that in the warrant, a document obtained by them proved that the Archbishop “was aware of rampant sexual abuse throughout the Archdiocese.”
The warrant states that most of the abuse occurred at archdiocese buildings, including several reports of victims being told to skinny dip in a pool at New Orleans Seminary.
According to the documents priests had a system of gifting that would let other priests know which victims were likely to be targeted for abuse.
The warrant reads:
“In some cases, ‘gifts were given by the accused to abuse victims with instructions to give or pass the ‘gift’ on to a priest at the next church or school. The ‘gift’, it was said, was a way to signal to another priest that this person was the target of sexual abuse.
The warrant concludes with a request to provide “any and all documentation that pertains in any way to sexual abuse of a child by clergy members employed by or otherwise associated with Archdiocese of New Orleans.”
“}]]
