New Documents Reveal Disturbing Details

WINK News
August 19, 2014

http://www.winknews.com/Local-Florida/2014-08-19/New-documents-reveal-disturbing-details

The details were kept sealed for years, but new documents show explicit details about the abuse one teen who says he suffered at the hands of former father, Jean Ronald Joseph.

"We did reach a settlement last month, says Adam Horowitz, attorney for the victim. "It was a 6 figure settlement."

These documents outline an internal investigation by the Diocese of Venice into former father Jean Ronald Joseph, accused of sexually abusing a teen while he worked here at the saint francis xavier parish.

"For 15 years, between 1993 and 2008, the diocese of Venice was aware of a history of red flags by this priest," says Horowitz

The victim says Joseph groped him in his sleep back in 1993 when he was 16 years old.

The new documents show questionable behavior by Joseph, and witness accounts of other possible victims. Something attorney Adam Horowitz's client wasn't aware of. "He had no idea that there were these suspicious behavior that father Joseph was engaged in."

The victim took his complaints to the church, who found that Joseph violated the sixth commandment, which is "thou shall not committee adultry".

Since the abuse was not reported to law enforcement, Joseph was never arrestedor tried for the abuse.

"Had this document been released earlier, they could have protected their children," says Horowitz.

WINK News did reach out to Joseph. He had not comment.

In a statement the Diocese says "When the allegations against Joseph were deemed credible, the Diocese immediately suspended him and took away his priestly duties." The Diocese says It's deeply committed to victims of clerical sexual abuse.. and to the transparent handling of all allegations.