Youth Minister Charged in Sexual Abuse Case
NBC 6
March 7, 2007
http://www.nbc6.net/news/11195862/detail.html
The latest claim centers on a youth minister who worked at a Catholic School in Pinecrest.
A 15-year-old, identified only as "Jane Doe," is suing the Archdiocese, claiming it did not do enough to stop a sexually abusive Youth Minister.
In the suit, the teen and her parents claim the Archdiocese received numerous complaints back in 2004 that Anthony Ricco, a Youth Minister at St. Louis Catholic Church, was sexually abusing young girls.
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The suit alleges that among those alerted to Ricco's behavior were the church's pastor, Father James Fetscher, and senior youth minister Paul Herring.
The suit also states that Fetscher and Herring took no action to protect the other children at St. Louis Catholic Church, even after receiving various complaints.
"Jane Doe's" attorney, Jeffrey Herman, said that in 2006 she was sexually abused by Ricco.
The teen also claims that a 13-year-old girl in the New Life youth group was involved in the abuse. They said that Ricco touched their private parts under their clothing.
In December of 2006, Ricco pleaded no contest to nine counts of lewd and lascivious battery on a child. The counts include his alleged sexual assaults on "Jane Doe."
"The allegations are very disturbing given that the sexual abuse occurred last year after the Catholic Church knew Ricco was dangerous and supposedly had changed its policies regarding the protection of children," Herman said.
As part of Ricco's plea agreement with the Miami-Dade state attorney's office, Circuit Judge William Thomas withheld the judgment against him.
The judgment means Ricco, a first-time offender, technically has no criminal record.
Ricco's lawyer, Richard Hersch, said the plea agreement and sentence were "authorized by the parents" of both victims. He said his client underwent a full psychological evaluation.
The parents of "Jane Doe" are seeking $25 million in damages.
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