Arrest of priest for child molestation reignites scandal in Louisiana diocese | US crime
Authorities in southwest Louisiana recently arrested a Roman Catholic priest on charges of indecent behavior with a child, sparking a new scandal in the diocese where the U.S. church is coming to terms with clergy abuse.
Korey LaVergne was jailed Friday evening on three counts of indecent liberties with a child, according to Acadia County Sheriff KP Gibson, whose agency arrested the priest. LaVergne had presided over mass at St. Edward’s church in Richard – where the Lafayette diocese had appointed him as priest – hours before he was taken into Acadia custody.
Records showed LaVergne was released on $15,000 bail less than 90 minutes after being taken to jail to ensure his release from custody pending the outcome of the case.
Details regarding the allegations against LaVergne were not yet available; Gibson said Saturday that his office plans to issue a press release later “as the investigation allows.” A spokesman for the Lafayette diocese said LaVergne’s arrest followed a report of “possible abuse.” [the] clergyman” but did not go into detail.
“The diocese will continue to assist law enforcement and requests prayers for all involved,” the church said in a statement.
LaVergne, 37, previously served as the official courier for the Lafayette diocese. In this role, drawn news headlines For bringing to the Vatican thousands of pages of documents outlining the cause for sainthood of Charlene Richard, who died of acute lymphatic leukemia at the age of 12 in 1959 and was known for offering her suffering to both God and others.
Richard, nicknamed the Little Cajun Saint, was buried in St Edward’s.
LaVergne’s arrest comes at a relatively sensitive time for the Lafayette diocese, which was founded in 1918 and is home to a congregation of about 150,000 Catholics.
In a financial report released in November, the diocese disclosed “the range of total potential losses.” [pending litigation] Claims with a reasonable likelihood of an adverse outcome range from $88,187,500 to $162,450,000,” the diocese’s 39-page report said, adding that this range was derived from an estimate by legal counsel “who reviewed cases to assess the likelihood of an adverse outcome.”
A Lafayette diocese priest named Gilbert Gauthe pleaded guilty to molesting several boys in 1985, effectively bringing the decades-old worldwide crisis of Catholic clergy abuse to the United States. He served 10 years in prison, now lives in Texas, and continues to be named in lawsuits filed by victims seeking compensation for his mistreatment.
The Lafayette diocese then sought to repeal a law passed by the Louisiana state legislature in 2021 that would allow survivors of long-ago sexual abuse to sue for damages in court. But the state’s high court upheld the law as constitutional in June 2024, despite arguments to the contrary by the Lafayette diocese.
Elsewhere in Louisiana, about 130 miles east of Lafayette, the Catholic archdiocese of New Orleans agreed in December to pay nearly $305 million to nearly 600 survivors of clergy abuse.
The archdiocese of New Orleans took the step more than five years after filing for federal bankruptcy protection as it sought to limit the financial fallout from the global church’s involvement in the clergy abuse scandal.
News of LaVergne’s arrest prompted a statement from the executive director of TentMakers of Louisiana, a nonprofit group dedicated to supporting survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy.
“This arrest is heartbreaking, not because it is shocking, but because it confirms that sexual abuse of children in the church still continues,” said Letitia Peyton, whose son was molested by a Lafayette Catholic priest who later sent the priest to prison. “Accountability must be immediate, transparent and mandatory; anything less will perpetuate harm.”
Usually under Louisiana lawIndecent behavior with a child can lead to a prison sentence of up to seven years.
The state defines the crime as “any lewd or lascivious act performed in the presence of any child under the age of 17.” Under Louisiana law, messages (including texts) and alleged grooming actions may be criminal offenses.
Attempts to contact LaVergne were not immediately successful. A biography on the website of St Edward’s church said he was ordained to the priesthood in 2018. The bio said he was appointed vicar of St Edward’s in July 2021.
Online video of the mass LaVergne presided over shortly before her arrest showed her welcoming visiting students to an elementary Catholic school in nearby Crowley, Louisiana.
“You are always welcome here in the home of the Little Cajun Saint, and we are glad you came to hear his story and learn more about the life he led,” LaVergne said in the video of the ceremony.
