| Victim Alleges Sex Abuse before Grandma's Funeral
By Neil Pang
The Guam
July 13, 2017
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/victim-alleges-sex-abuse-before-grandma-s-funeral/article_432d37c6-67a0-11e7-a370-cbb8f7efb61a.html
One of the cases alleges defrocked priest Raymond Cepeda abused a boy after officiating the funeral Mass for the boy's deceased grandmother, and while in a car ride to the burial site.
The latest cases also added more cases against former Guam priest Louis Brouillard.
With the complaints filed by W.E.T., R.W.J. and P.P.R., the number of individuals who have come forward accusing Brouillard of child sexual abuse now totals 52.
As with the previously filed cases, the three newest plaintiffs accusing Brouillard also name the Boy Scouts of America Chamorro District as a co-defendant. They are seeking $10 million each in damages.
W.E.T. alleges he was sexually molested and abused by Brouillard when he was serving as an altar boy at San Isidro Catholic Church in Malojloj, and as a Boy Scout. According to court documents, Brouillard allegedly fondled and groped the boy during outings.
R.W.J. made similar allegations against Brouillard and claimed the priest would often take him and the other Boy Scouts to the country club in Ipan to eat after the former Guam priest allegedly sexually abused them during swimming or camping outings.
P.P.R. alleges Brouillard sexually molested and abused him in a room behind the altar at the Barrigada parish when he was 9 years old. The complaint alleges the priest told the boy, "It was what God wanted (the boy) to do." and "It was a sin if he didn't do what Brouillard asked."
Abuse during car ride to cemetery
Plaintiffs N.P.J.D. and B.B.J. named defrocked priest Cepeda as their abuser and are each seeking $5 million in damages.
While a student at Santa Barbara Catholic School in 1979 or 1980, N.P.J.D. alleges Cepeda locked him in the sacristy and began fondling him after the school Mass. On another occasion, N.P.J.D. recalled being held back from the other students who were at Cepeda's home, near Santa Barbara Catholic School, and being sexually assaulted by the priest.
B.B.J. alleges that in 1982 he was sexually abused on the day of his grandmother's funeral, on the way to her burial site.
Cepeda was the priest performing the funeral Mass. The complaint states Cepeda instructed B.B.J. to ride with him to the cemetery and while in the car allegedly molested the boy.
Cepeda was defrocked in 2009 or 2010, the lawsuit states.
As the number of pending cases against former Guam priests and the Archdiocese of Agana continues to edge ever closer to 100, Lujan reported in federal court Tuesday he has been unable to serve Cepeda a summons, as the special process server hired to find him has been unable to locate him.
Post archives state Lujan's office believes Cepeda still resides on island somewhere in the vicinity of Canada, Barrigada.
|