CALIFORNIA
Sonoma Index-Tribune
By Bill Lynch Index-Tribune Editor & CEO
01.25.05 - A news story published Sunday in the Contra Costa Times regarding a former Christian Brother who allegedly molested students at De La Salle High School, and for which the religious order paid a $6.2 million settlement last month, has a Sonoma Valley connection.
The Times article reported that in 1980-81 Joe Gutierrez, a former De La Salle teacher and a licensed therapist at St. Mary's College, allegedly plied at least three students with drugs and sexually abused them.
The Times reported that Gutierrez has changed his name to Jesse Gutierrez-Cervantes and lives in Sonoma. A Web search reveals that Gutierrez-Cervantes is listed as a "co-founder" of Cor Communications, "...a consulting and training company specializing in Diversity Training and Communication Skills." It claims to work with global organizations, teams and individuals, helping them to be successful by enhancing their relationship skills and strategies. The local address for the organization is given as 19197 Twin Oaks Lane. Even though the Twin Oaks address is listed on the Web site, according to the Times the address is now 127 Bear Flag Road.
News organizations in the area also received an e-mail news release Monday from Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP). In that release, David Clohessy, national director of SNAP, and Danny McNevin, Bay Area SNAP director, publicly urged Santa Rosa Bishop Daniel Walsh (whose jurisdiction includes Sonoma Valley) "to put notices in church bulletins, the diocesan newspaper and on the diocesan Web site, urging victims of Gutierrez to come forward."
Posted by kshaw at January 25, 2005 05:36 PM