WORCESTER -- A Millville priest accused of sexually abusing a male parishioner admitted to lesser charges yesterday and will remain on administrative leave from his church.
The Rev. Jean-Paul Gagnon admitted to sufficient facts on two counts of assault and battery in Worcester District Court, according to Elizabeth Stammo, a spokeswoman for Worcester District Attorney John Conte.
Gagnon, on leave from St. Augustine Parish since October 2002, had been scheduled to stand trial yesterday in the court, which handles Uxbridge District Court's jury trials, on one count of indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or over and one count of assault and battery. The charges involved two victims.
Gagnon's case will be continued without a finding while he serves an 18-month probation, Stammo said. He must submit to alcohol and mental health evaluations and comply with any recommended treatment.
The charges will be dismissed altogether if he meets his probation requirements, said his attorney, Edward Ryan Jr. of Fitchburg.
"Father Gagnon never, ever committed an indecent assault and battery on any individual, let alone the individual involved in this case," Ryan said. "To that end, he's vindicated."
Gagnon took a personal leave from his parish in October 2002, shortly after Timothy Staney filed a civil lawsuit against the priest, alleging Gagnon molested him when he was a teenager in the 1980s. Gagnon was assigned to Worcester's Holy Name of Jesus Church at the time.
That same month, a male parishioner alleged the priest improperly touched him in Sutton, court records show. By the summer of 2003, the Diocese of Worcester had changed Gagnon's work status to administrative leave following an internal investigation. Conte's office filed the criminal charges against him in the spring of 2004.
The priest, who has been staying in Webster, appeared in court yesterday before supporters, detractors, the victim and his family.
"From the point of view of the victim, I personally am very glad that it's over for him and he doesn't have to deal with it much longer," said Lois Salome, a longtime St. Augustine's parishioner who has known the victim for many years. "There's obviously an element of sadness to this whole thing."
The Diocese of Worcester released a statement yesterday saying it received news of his plea "with a heavy heart" and said it prays the resolution will help victims start to heal.
Diocese spokesman Raymond Delisle said the priest remains on administrative leave. He could not provide any further information about his possible path back.
"At the moment, he continues to be on administrative leave," Delisle said. "He continues to not be able to serve any public ministry."
Gagnon is ready to go through the internal diocese process so he can,
Ryan said.
"He's going to go through with his canon lawyer whatever is required
to achieve a level of vindication in the church," Ryan said.
Kathy Shaw
UXBRIDGE- The Rev.
Jean-Paul Gagnon, former pastor of St. Augustine parish in
Millville, was arraigned yesterday in District Court on one charge
of indecent assault and battery on a person over 14.
Rev. Gagnon pleaded not guilty and Judge Austin T. Philbin continued
his case until June 30, releasing him on personal recognizance.
According to District Attorney John J. Conte, the alleged incident
occurred Oct. 11, 2002, in Sutton. The victim, who is an adult, has
not been named, but the district attorney said he was active in St.
Augustine parish. The incident on which the charge is based occurred
while Rev. Gagnon was assigned to that parish.
The allegation was investigated by state police attached to Mr.
Conte's office and they brought the charge.
Rev. Gagnon has been placed on administrative leave by the Diocese
of Worcester and cannot serve as a priest.
A number of people from the parish, some praying with rosary beads,
packed the courtroom for the arraignment. Some said they were there
to support the priest while others were there as interested
observers from the parish.
Rev. Gagnon was represented by Edward P. Ryan Jr. of Fitchburg. Mr.
Ryan is also representing Rev. Gagnon in a civil suit pending in
Worcester Superior Court alleging he sexually abused Timothy P.
Staney, formerly of Worcester and now a Florida resident, when Mr.
Staney was a minor.
Tuesday, May 18, 2004
Priest pleads not guilty to sex assault
By Sara Withee / News Staff Writer
UXBRIDGE -- Flanked by
supporters holding rosary beads, a Millville priest yesterday answered
an allegation he sexually assaulted a male parishioner and a new charge
of assaulting a second person.
The Rev. Jean-Paul Gagnon, on leave from St. Augustine's Parish,
gripped a Bible in Uxbridge District Court yesterday as he pleaded not
guilty to indecent assault and battery on a person over 14 and assault
and battery.
Worcester County District Attorney John Conte last month announced
that Gagnon would be charged with sexually assaulting a male St.
Augustine's parishioner in Sutton on or about Oct. 11, 2002.
Friday, April 2, 2004
Ex-Millville pastor faces assault charge
Allegation follows abuse civil suit
WORCESTER- The Rev. Jean-Paul Gagnon has been charged with indecent assault
and battery on a person over age 14 at a time when he was pastor of St.
Augustine parish in Millville.
According to a statement from the office of District Attorney John J. Conte,
the offense occurred in Sutton on Oct. 11, 2002. The accuser, who has not
been named publicly, was described as a man who was active in the Millville
parish.
The criminal charge was issued through Uxbridge District Court. Rev. Gagnon
is scheduled to be arraigned there on May 17.
Mr. Conte said the allegation against Rev. Gagnon was investigated by the
state police detectives unit assigned to his office.
Rev. Gagnon took personal leave in October 2002 after Timothy P. Staney of
Worcester, and his parents, Corrine and Joseph Staney of Spencer, filed a
civil suit against him.
The suit alleges that Rev. Gagnon sexually abused Timothy Staney while he
was serving at Holy Name of Jesus parish in Worcester. Rev. Gagnon has
denied all the allegations.
He remained pastor in Millville until last July, when Bishop Daniel P.
Reilly put him on administrative leave so he could appoint a permanent
pastor there to serve the parishioners. The bishop's action came after an
investigation by the diocesan review board.
In another development, Brother Louis Laperle, 76, of Pascoag, R.I., was
acquitted last week in Fitchburg District Court of charges that he assaulted
a student when he was principal of Notre Dame High School in 1968. He is now
retired.
Brother Laperle was charged with three misdemeanor charges of assault and
battery and was found not guilty on all charges, according to Elizabeth
Stammo, spokeswoman for Mr. Conte.
Mr. Conte said at the time Brother Laperle was charged the accusation
involved indecent assault and battery, but that charge did not exist in 1968
when the alleged incidents happened, so he could only be charged with
assault and battery. The accuser, who has not been named publicly, is a
52-year-old Lunenburg resident.