Credibly Accused Priests within the Diocese of Las Cruces

Joseph K. Anderson.

In a 2018 lawsuit vs Diocese of Las Cruces NM, a man claimed Anderson sexually abused him hundreds of times between 1994-2001 when he was an altar boy.

Joseph Angeli

On Las Cruces diocese list in 2019.

Santiago Almaguer

Accused in 2012 suit against the Dioceses of Las Cruces and El Paso, and Our Lady of Health parish in Las Cruces.

Filipe Baldonado

On the Las Cruces diocese list in 2019, where he worked at Holy Cross Retreat Center in 1969.

Daniel Ramsey Barfield

Daniel Ramsey Barfield

In a 2013 lawsuit Barfield was accused of sexually, physically and psychologically assaulting and abusing a New Mexico altar boy in 1990.

David Bentley

David Bentley

In a 2018 lawsuit, Fr. David Bentley was accused of sexually abusing a boy at Holy Family Catholic Church in Deming, New Mexico, in the late 1990s.

Bernard Bissonnette

Bernard Bissonnette

Bissonnette has been the subject of a number of lawsuits. One accuser said Bissonnette's abuse in the early 1960s included his forcing the boy to perform sex acts on other children.

Alphonse Boardway

On the Las Cruces diocese list in 2019 where he worked in 1989.

William Cody Bressler

Multiple credible allegations of abuse of both male and female minors in the 1960s.

Samuel Cabot

On the Las Cruces diocese list in 2019 where he worked 1956-1957.

Felix Calonge

On the Las Cruces diocese 2019 list. First assignment was in 1965 in NM. Left the order in 1966.

Camillus Cavagnaro

On the Las Cruces diocese 2019 list where he worked 1971-1973 and 1989-1990.

Albert chavez

Accused in a 2018 lawsuit of the sexual abuse, including rape, of an altar boy 1972-77 in Peralta, when Chavez was pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Barry Coyle

Allegations were reported against Coyle in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, New Mexico. Worked in Roswell, New Mexico in 1966.

Lambert Dannenfelser

Added to Las Cruces diocese’s list in 2020, where he was assigned to St. Peter’s in Roswell 1962-1968.

Wilfred Diamond

Added to the Las Cruces diocese’s list in 2020 where he worked 1993-1995.

Owen da Silva

On the Las Cruces diocese’s 2019 list where he worked 1957-1964.

Wilfred Diamond

Wilfred Diamond

In a 5/13 civil suit a man accused Diamond of abusing him as an 8- or 9-year-old in 1987, at St. Jude’s Parish in Alamogordo.

Kevin Dunne

On the Las Cruces diocese’s 2019 list where he worked 1955-61.

Miguel Esquivel

Accused in 2002 of sexually assaulting a girl in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Noted to have worked in the Las Cruces diocese in 1996, as a La Tuna Prison chaplain.

Dennis Fountain

On Las Cruces diocese’s list in 2018. Noted to have worked in Las Cruces diocese 1992-2008.

Lucas Galvan

On the Las Cruces diocese's 2019 list where he worked in 1991. Pleaded guilty in 1989 to sexually fondling an 11-year-old girl.

Damien Gamboa

Accused in a 2020 lawsuit of sexually abusing a girl, age 13 or 14, in the early 1980s while pastor of St. Francis de Paula in Tularosa.

Samuel Garcia

First named publicly as accused on the Las Cruces diocese’s 2018 list.. Report noted to have been made in 1996 of alleged incident in 1977.

Lawrence Gaynor

Accused in a civil suit filed in 1995 of abusing a young man for several years. Also accused in affidavits filed in a suit against Fr. Irving Klister of abusing at least two more youths in El Paso.

Sabine Griego

Accused of sexually and physically assaulting over 38 children, male and female. Suit filed in 1993.

Kerry Guillory

Accused in 2007 suit of abusing a teen boy in1976-77 in Las Cruces, NM. Suit filed in 2019 in NM claiming Guillory raped a 7-year-old boy 1972-74 at St. Edward’s school in Carlsbad.

James Hay

Ordained for El Paso, incardinated into Las Cruces Diocese when it was formed in 1982. A man filed suit 2006 alleging that Hay raped him and another youth in 1964.

David Holley

David Holley

Fr. Holley was sentenced to 275 years in prison in Alamogordo, New Mexico, for sexually abusing at least eight minor boys between approximately 1973 and 1974.

Gus Hootka

On the Diocese of Las Cruces 2019 List.

Austin Keegan

Keegan was indicted in 2002 on 40 counts of the abuse of three minors over a 28 year period, ending in 1992. Church records indicated he "may have molested as many as 80 children" over three decades.

Robert Kirsch

Robert Kirsch

On the Las Cruces diocese’s list 6/24/2019, where he worked 1965-1967.

Irving Klister

Accused of abuse of a 14-year-old boy in Superior in the early 1950s. Transferred in 1955 to the Diocese of El Paso.

Laurier Labreche

Laurier Labreche

On Las Cruces diocese’s list 11/8/18. Worked in diocese 1962-68 at St. Eleanor’s in Ruidoso.

Louis Ladenburger

Ladenburger was treated twice in the 1980s for what the Franciscans called "inappropriate professional behavior and relationships." He was was allowed both times to return to ministry.

Mark Leining

On the Las Cruces diocese’s 2019 where he worked 1951-1953, 1962-1964, 1979-1985.

Rosario Lopez

Worked in the Las Cruces diocese (then part of the El Paso Diocese) in the mid-1970s. Civll suit filed in NM in 2010 alleged he fondled and groped an altar boy.

Richard Lynch

Richard Lynch

First named publicly as credibly accused by the Las Cruces diocese on its list 11/8/18.

Clive Lynn

2014 lawsuit filed by a Las Vegas man claiming abuse as a boy by Lynn in 1977.

Sylvester Mancuso

On the Las Cruces diocese’s 2019 list where he worked 1952-55.

Manuel Maramba

A man filed suit in 2004 in a federal court in Albuquerque alleging that he was abused by Maramba in 1976-77 at a parish in NM (then part of the El Paso Diocese, later part of the Las Cruces Diocese)

Phillip Martin

Included on the Diocese of Las Cruces list of credibly accused in 2018. Report noted to have been received in 2002 of an alleged incident in 1984. Martin worked at NMMI (New Mexico Military Institute) in Roswell 1983-1984.

Diego Mazon

In 2009 it was revealed that Mazon had been removed from ministry in the Gallup diocese in 2004 due to an allegation that he had sexually and psychologically abused a girl from1974-1978 while at St. John’s in Roswell.

Forest McAllister

Credibly accused by the Las Cruces diocese on its revised list in 2020. A complaint received in 2019 of abuse in 1982. McAllister was assigned 1978-83 to St. John the Baptist in Roswell.

Kevin McDonald

Named publicly as credibly accused by the Las Cruces diocese on its list in 2020.

Juan Montoya

Accused in a lawsuit filed in 2019 of sexually abusing an 11-year-old girl in 2001, while pastor of St. John the Baptist in Roswell.

Arthur Morgan

First named publicly as accused on the Las Cruces diocese’s list in 2018. A report was received in 2013 of an incident in 1973. He worked in Our Lord of Mercy in Hatch 1968-71 and San Isidro in Garfield 1971-91.

Richard Nesom

Added to Las Cruces diocese’s list in 2019, where he was assigned in 1981.

Arthur O’Sullivan

Included on the Las Cruces diocese’s list of credibly accused in 2018 (Las Cruces was established from El Paso in 1982). It notes a report in 1993 of an incident in the 1950s.

Roman Pfaizer

James Porter

On Las Cruces List of Accused in 2019.

Bruno Primavera

Sent for treatment and transferred to the Las Cruces NM diocese. Arrested there in 1990 for abuse and child porn.

Casilda Pudei

On Las Cruces diocese's list of credibly accused in 2018.

Joaquin Resma

Pastor of Our Lady of Health in Las Cruces NM 1978-83. Accused in a 62018 lawsuit of sexually abusing an altar boy in 1978 at Our Lady of Health. Four alleged victims joined the suit, which settled.

Claude Riffel

On the Las Cruces diocese’s list 6/24/19, where he was assigned in 1968.

Emilio Roure

On Las Cruces List of Accused in 2019.

Lawrence Schreiber

On the Las Cruces diocese’s list in 2019 where he was assigned 2002-2003.

Frank Sierra

Worked in El Paso and several parishes in the 1950s and 1960s, later part of the Las Cruces NM diocese.

Benjamin Silva

Named as accused by the Diocese of Las Cruces on its list 11/8/18. It notes no claims in the diocese, and that Silva was assigned to parishes in Chaparral, Berino and Las Cruces 1983-1986.

Dennis Tejada

Placed on leave in summer 2002 after a man alleged that Tejada molested him at age 11 in 1973 in the El Paso and Las Cruces NM dioceses.

John Tickle

First named publicly as credibly accused on the Las Cruces diocese’s list in 2018. An alleged incident in 1976-77 was reported in 2004.

Robert Trevino

On the Las Cruces diocese’s list in 2019

Gary Vau

The Diocese of Las Cruces' Sexual Abuse Review Board also voted to include the name Gary Vau, a volunteer teacher at Holy Cross School, on its list of credibly accused persons because of a criminal conviction related to sexual abuse of a minor.

David Viramontes

On Las Cruces diocese’s 2018 lis which notes a report received in 2012 of an alleged incident in 1997.

Full List Of Abusers Diocese of Las Cruces

Joseph K. Anderson, Joseph Angeli, Santiago Almaguer, Filipe Baldonado, Daniel Barfield, David Bentley, Bernard Bissonnette, Alphonse Boardway, William Cody Bressler, Samuel Cabot, Felix Calonge, Camillus Cavagaro, Albert Chavez, Barry Coyle, Lambert Dannenfelser, Frank Davied, Owen de Silva, Wilfred Diamond, Kevin Dunn, Miguel Esquive, Dennis Fountain, Lucas Galvan, Damien Gamboa, Samuel Garcia, Lawrence Gaynor, Sabine Griego, Kerry Guillory, James Hay, David Holley, Gus Hootka, Austin Keegan, Robert Kirsch, Irving Klister, Laurier Labreche, Louis Ladenburger, Mark Leining, Rosario Lopez, Richard Lynch, Clive Lynn, Sylvester Mancuso, Manuel Maramba, Phillip Martin, Diego Mazon, Forest McAllister, Kevin McDonald, Juan Montoya, Arthur Morgan, Richard Nesome, Arthur O’Sullivan, Roman Pfaizer, James Porter, Bruno Primavera, Casilda Pudei, Joaquin Resma, Claude Riffel, Emilio Roure, Lawrence Schrieber, Frank Sierra, Benjamin Silva, Dennis Tejada, John Tickle, Robert Trevino, Gary Vau, David Viramontes