A late priest has been added to the growing list of priests and clergy in the Albany diocese facing “credible” accusations of sexual abuse towards children.

The latest addition to the list was Alan Jupin, who passed away in January 2019. He has been accused of molesting five children in Albany and Schenectady from the 1970s to the 1990s. This is not the first time that he has been accused of sexual abuse, and the new accusations have prompted a review into past allegations that victims say were previously brushed under the rug. Two men have come forward, recounting how their childhoods were marred by Jupin’s abuse.

Jupin spent most of his career serving as a priest at Our Lady of Fatima, now known as St. Kateri Tekawitha, in Schenectady. He worked there until his 2007 retirement. However, he also served at other locations in the Albany diocese, including Our Lady of Mercy in Colonie, St. John the Baptist in Schenectady, St. Thomas the Apostle in Delmar, and was the chaplain for the Colonie Police Department.

In two instances, first in 2003 and then in 2011, Jupin was placed on administrative leave after he was accused of sexually abusing children. The Times Union explains that a review board examined the cases, but found “no reasonable cause for action.” 

However, these past claims are now being revisited, after new allegations were launched against the late priest. Strikingly, the new claims do bear some similarities to the previously allegations made. Two new claims were brought forward under the New York Child Victims Act, a law that has gives victims of childhood abuse more time to file civil and criminal claims against their alleged abusers.

The new law has also established a look-back window that allows victims a period of time in which they can file lawsuits against their abusers no matter how old their claims are — even if the statute would normally have already run out on their allegations. The New York Post explains that the look-back window has been extended another year as a result of the challenges imposed by the coronavirus crisis. This has been especially helpful for victims of the Roman Catholic Church sex abuse scandal.

One of these new claims were brought forward by a man who decided to remain anonymous, referred to as John Doe in his sexual abuse lawsuit. He stated that he was based by Jupin in 1988 and 1989, when Doe was only 11 and 12 years old.

He recounts that the abuse occurred while Jupin served as pastor at Our Lady of Mercy in Colonie in the Albany diocese, a post Jupin held from 1979 to 1989. Allegedly, Jupin assaulted him around 15 times, taking the boy to his apartment for “bible study.”

A Guilderland man has also said that he was similarly lured to Jupin’s apartment, where the abuse would take place. In his case, he said that Jupin would force him to drink alcohol and then abuse him. This recount echoed previous accusations in which alleged victims claimed that Jupin would give young boys alcohol at parties held in his apartment, and would then sexually abuse them.

One such account was brought froward in 2011 by Michael D., a Colonie resident who says that he was assaulted at such parties. Michael launched his complaint in 2011, which resulted in Jupin’s seconds suspension on administrative leave from his work in the Albany diocese.

Tragically, Michael says that in some instances, he as abused not only by Jupin, but by two other priests who would rape and abuse him starting when he was just nine-years-old. In his words to the Times Union, “I was used pretty much like a child sex slave.” 

He told the Times Union, “My wife has wept by my side, seen me cry myself to sleep. … I would have flashbacks of the nights I was there during thunderstorms. I was 34 years old and laying in my bed in a fetal position in the thunderstorms,” recounting the deep emotional wounds inflicted by the alleged abuse.

This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.