A former priest who served in the Catholic Diocese of Metuchen, New Jersey has pleaded guilty to sexual assault of a minor during the 1990s. Thomas P. Ganley, now 63, confessed to having sexual relations with an underage girl between 1992 and 1994, when he was functioning as the head of the youth ministry at the Parish of St. Cecilia in Middlesex County.

Ganley, who has been removed from the priesthood, is the first defendant to plead guilty to sexual assault charges filed by New Jersey’s new Clergy Abuse Task Force, which was established last September by Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal.

The Victim Comes Forward

The victim, a woman who was between the ages of 14 and 17 at the time of the assault, came forward with her allegations this past January, according to the Diocese of Metuchen. Two days later, Ganley, who was serving as a priest at two Catholic Churches in Phillipsburg, was arrested and charged with several counts of sexual assault of a minor. Upon his arrest, he confessed to the police, and was defrocked shortly thereafter.

Ganley entered a formal plea of guilty on April 8, 2019. He is scheduled for sentencing in July, and could reportedly serve up to four years in a state penitentiary. In addition, he is forbidden to have any contact with the victim or her family and prohibited from unsupervised meetings with minors. He will also have to register as a sex offender in accordance with Megan’s Law.

New Jersey AG Grewal says the victim’s case was not time-barred, despite the fact that the crime occurred a quarter-century ago (there is currently no statute of limitations on sex crimes in New Jersey). In cases for which prosecution is no longer an option, Grewal says, “We will work equally hard to determine if the church was aware of the abuse but failed to take action or prevent it from recurring.”

The Diocese of Metuchen and Others

Ganley was reportedly ordained in 1985 prior to serving in the Diocese of Metuchen. Parishes at which he was assigned over the course of his clerical career include St. Cecilia near Brunswick, St. Matthew in Raritan, Immaculate Conception in Spotswood, Our Lady of Fatima in Piscataway and Sacred Heart in South Plainfield.

Ganley is not the only member of the clergy having served in the Diocese of Metuchen who has been credibly accused of sexual assault. In March, the New Jersey chapter of Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP) claimed that the diocese failed to name 9 former members of the clergy who have faced similar accusations.

Were You the Victim of Sexual Assault by a New Jersey Priest?

The five dioceses of New Jersey have set up a compensation fund for survivors of clergy sex abuse. The New Jersey’s Office of the Attorney General has also set up a hotline for victims of clergy abuse at 855-393-6548. The line is staffed by trained professionals who are available 24 hours a day. All allegations will be investigated.

You may also wish to consult with a qualified lawyer with experience in clergy sex abuse cases. Even if the one who assaulted you cannot be prosecuted, the Church or the diocese can still be held liable. An attorney can help you to understand your rights in such cases.

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