A Queens priest charged with molestation of a 12-year-old boy who attended his church faces ten years to life in prison. 

A bishop who leads a church in Queens has been charged with sexually assaulting a boy who attended the church over the course of several years. Bishop Jesé Milagrosa has been charged with first, second, and third-degree criminal sexual acts and first-degree sexual contact against a child. His bail has been set at $250,000 and may face ten years to life in prison if he is found guilty. Bishop Milagrosa continues to deny the accusations.

The bishop led Our Lady of La Salette, described by news sources as a “traditionalist” church that is not part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, but holds Mass in Latin up to six times a week.

U.S. News explains that the bishop sexually abused the boy between 2011 and 2014. According to the sexual abuse lawsuit, the boy was an active member of his church’s community and, during his time as a congregant, spent a significant amount of time with the bishop.

A spokesperson for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn explained that though the church “mimics a lot of Catholic practices, it is not a Roman Catholic Parish, and it is not associated with the Diocese of Brooklyn. In fact, the diocese has notified the faithful throughout the years that Our Lady of LaSalette is not in communion with the diocese or with the Holy Father.”

However, the Diocese of Brooklyn has not been exempt from claims of sexual assault. The Catholic Church has faced a barrage of allegations of sexual abuse, including allegations that the Catholic Church has actively attempted to cover up an epidemic of sexual abuse by clergy members.

Now, stories of abuse in the Catholic Church and other institutions, including the case of the priest charged with molestation at Our Lady of La Salette Church, are coming to light after New York changed its laws around the filing of sexual assault lawsuits.

The sexual assault lawsuit filed against the priest charged with molestation at Our Lady of LaSalette Church is one of 30 sexual assault lawsuits filed in Queens since New York’s new Child Victims Act went into effect on Dec. 2, 2019. Across Queens, complaints have been filed against clergy members, including priests at St. Francis Preparatory School in Fresh Meadows and St. Margaret’s Church in Middle Village, says the Queens Daily Eagle.

Under the new law, child abuse survivors have a longer amount of time to file a lawsuit against their alleged abusers. The New York Child Victims Act extends the statute of limitations for civil claims of childhood sexual assault. The New York law also grants a one-year look-back window for victims who would otherwise be unable to file a claim.

Other states have also taken legal action to better protect victims of childhood sexual assault. One such state is California, which filed its own Child Victims Act, similar to New York’s. In light of these legal changes, hundreds of lawsuits have already been filed, seeking justice for alleged abuse.  

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