Priest, teacher charged in decades-old Wilmington, Del. child sex abuse case
Two men, a retired priest and a Catholic school teacher, have been charged with sexually abusing the same child multiple times between 1994 and 1996 when they worked in Wilmington, Delaware
Law enforcement officials in Delaware have charged two men -- a retired priest and an elementary school teacher -- following an investigation into allegations of child sex abuse that stem back to the nineties.
According to law enforcement officials, John Taggart, 80, a former priest, and Christopher Crisona, 57, have been charged with continuous sexual abuse of a child, unlawful sexual intercourse and related charges following an investigation into their alleged activities from 1994 through 1996 when they both worked at St. Thomas the Apostle School and rectory.
Resources for victims of sexual assault are available through the National Sexual Violence Resources Center and the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 800-656-4673.
The allegations against this pair were uncovered, law enforcement officials said, after an investigation began into Taggart and the now-deceased Father John Francis O'Brien, concerning their time working at St. Thomas the Apostle.
This investigation, officials claim, found that Taggart, allegedly, repeatedly abused a victim through the child's seventh and eighth grade years enrolled at the church's school.
The abuse, officials allege, even continued after the child began high school.
Taggart worked at the church from 1987 through 1998 and, in January of 1999, officials said, he was transferred to St. John the Apostle church in Milford, Delaware.
Taggart also worked at St. Helena's in Wilmington, Delaware, though, officials said he now lives in Georgia after retiring in 2004.
This same investigation found allegations of abuse of the same victim by Crisona, when he was a teacher at St. Thomas the Apostle School.
Crisona worked at the schools in the 1994-1995 school year and was removed from the school the following year after a student complaint, officials said.
After leaving the school, Crisona worked at St. Matthew's in Wilmington in 1999, then Corpus Christi, also in 1999 and, officials said, he also worked at St. Hedwig's in 2000.
He is currently employed as an elementary school teacher in Florida, according to police officials.
“The State’s indictment alleges a pattern of gravely serious abuse against a juvenile by two adults in a position of trust,” said Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings in a statement. “As prosecutors, and as parents, these kinds of cases keep us up at night — but they also give us purpose. The victim in this case suffered profound trauma over a period of years and deserves justice. I’m grateful to the police, prosecutors, and social workers who have been critical to this investigation and who are committed to getting justice.”
In a statement to NBC10, the Diocese of Wilmington, Del., noted that Taggart was arrested on Friday, March 14, 2025.
Crisona, diocese officials said, was apprehended at his home in Orlando, Florida, on March 3, 2025.
Officials with the diocese said they have been and will continue to cooperate with law enforcement officials.
Officials said that, due to the nature of the allegations and both men's professional histories, the Delaware Department of Justice is seeking other potential victims.
How and why Crisona bounced from one school to another needs to be investigated. Were any, or all of these schools aware that he was a child molester and yet allowed him to move to other schools? Did any of the schools that hired him do due diligence on his history?
I don't want to hear any of these schools say that the safety of the children is their top priority.
Georgia Youth Pastor Charged With 6 Counts of Possessing Child Sex Abuse Material
A Georgia youth pastor has been arrested and charged with six counts of possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Daniel Menelaou had been serving as a youth pastor for the Alpharetta campus of Futures Church. He has since been terminated.
Editor’s note: This article refers to reports of child sex abuse that some readers might find triggering and/or disturbing.
Menelaou’s arrest came following an investigation by Roswell Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) unit.
The investigation began in February after authorities received an online tip. On March 11, Menelaou was taken into custody after authorities executed a search warrant on Menelaou’s residence, according to Fox 5 Atlanta.
Investigators seized multiple devices from Menelaou’s home. Melelaou, 28, now faces six felony charges related to possession of CSAM.
“It’s egregious behavior regardless of who is engaged in it, in particular somebody that has connections to young people and it raises the threat level to another degree,” said Roswell Police Officer Tim Lupo.
Futures Church, formerly Influencers Church, is a global multisite megachurch affiliated with the Assemblies of God denomination. The church has locations in Australia and the United States.
Leaders of Futures Church Alpharetta expressed shock following Menelaou’s arrest.
“The charges against Daniel Menelaou are abhorrent, appalling, and completely contrary to everything we stand for,” the church said in a statement emailed to ChurchLeaders. “We are horrified by what has been revealed and categorically condemn these actions in the strongest possible terms.”
RELATED: Pastor Charged With Swindling ‘Long-Time Friends,’ Another Church out of More Than $230,000
The church said that prior to Menelaou’s arrest, leadership “had no prior knowledge of any allegations or indication of wrongdoing. The details outlined in the arrest warrant are deeply disturbing and stand in total opposition to our unwavering commitment to protecting children.”
NY Pastor Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a Child, Faces up to 30 Years in Prison
Editor’s note: This article refers to reports of child sex abuse that some readers might find triggering and/or disturbing.
Saez, 29, faces a minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years behind bars. He is a father of three.
In a statement released on Tuesday (March 11), the district attorney’s office characterized Saez’s crimes as “unspeakable.”
RELATED: Alabama Pastor Receives Maximum Prison Sentence of 20 Years in Child Sex Abuse Case
“The defendant’s sexual exploitation of minors, both in person and online, is horrific, and he now faces at least 15 years in prison for his unspeakable crimes,” said District Attorney John J. Durham.
“That he held a position of trust and responsibility as a pastor of a local church makes his conduct even more reprehensible,” Durham said. “Protecting vulnerable children from predators like this defendant will always be a priority of this Office.”
An acting assistant director for the FBI said that Saez “not only admitted to sexually abusing young children, but also discussed his church and his congregants as targets of additional abuse.”
“His sustained exploitation of children—in person and online—is clear, and this plea is a step forward on the road to justice for his victims,” the acting assistant director added. “Children are among the most vulnerable in our communities, and the FBI will stop at nothing to make sure they are protected and the monsters who would do them harm are put behind bars.”
RELATED: Former Youth Pastor Faces 191 Charges of Child Sex Abuse
Prosecutors said that Saez used an encrypted messaging service to send sexually explicit messages to an undercover agent. Investigators said that in the course of these conversations, which occurred in August 2023, Saez claimed to have sexually abused an infant and said that his “sweet spot” was molesting children between the ages of 11 and 15.
No comments:
Post a Comment